History of Faith Kipyegon in Timeline

Faith Kipyegon is a celebrated Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner, renowned for her exceptional achievements. She holds the world records for the 1,500 metres and mile, and previously held the 5,000 metres world record. Kipyegon made history as the only three-time Olympic champion in the 1,500 metres, securing gold medals at the 2016 Rio, 2020 Tokyo, and 2024 Paris Olympics. Her dominance extends to the World Athletics Championships, where she claimed gold in the 1,500 m in 2017, 2022 and 2023, and in the 5,000 m in 2023, solidifying her status as a track and field icon.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1969: Second Woman to Hold 1500m and 5000m Records

In June 2023, Kipyegon became only the second woman in history to hold both the 1500 m and 5000 m records simultaneously after Paola Pigni in 1969.

January 1994: Faith Kipyegon's Birth

In January 1994, Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon was born. She is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner.

Others born on this day/year

1996: Svetlana Masterkova's 1000m World Record

In 2020, Kipyegon ran the second-fastest time ever in the 1000 metres, coming close to Svetlana Masterkova's 1996 world record.

2010: International Debut at World Cross Country Championships

In 2010, at age 16, Kipyegon made her international debut at the World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. She placed fourth in the women's junior race and earned a gold medal with her under-20 team.

2011: Individual Gold Medal at World Cross Country Championships

In 2011, Kipyegon won the individual gold medal at the World Cross Country Championships in Punta Umbria, Spain, and added a silver with her team. She also won the 1500 m at the World Youth Championships in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France, with a championship record time of 4:09.48.

2011: World Cross Country and Youth Championships Gold Medals

In 2011, as a junior, Kipyegon won gold medals at the World Cross Country Championships and in the 1500 m at the World Youth Championships.

2012: National Junior 1500 m Record and World Junior Championships Gold

In 2012, Kipyegon set a national junior 1500 m record of 4:03.82 at the Shanghai Diamond League meeting. She also won gold at the World Junior Championships in Barcelona with a championship record time of 4:04.96.

2012: Timothy Kitum's Olympic Medal

In 2012, Timothy Kitum, Kipyegon's future husband, won an Olympic 800 m bronze medal. They are now married.

2012: World Junior Championships Gold Medal

In 2012, as a junior, Kipyegon won a gold medal in the 1500 m at the World Junior Championships.

2013: World Cross Country Championships Title Defense and 1500 m Record

In 2013, Kipyegon defended her junior title at the World Cross Country Championships and broke the 4-minute barrier in the 1500 m at the Diamond League meeting in Doha, Qatar, setting an African U20 and Kenyan senior record of 3:56.98.

2013: World Cross Country Championships Gold Medal

In 2013, as a junior, Kipyegon won a gold medal at the World Cross Country Championships.

2013: Continued Success in 1500m

Kipyegon continued her strong performance in 1500m in 2013, improving her Kenyan record to 3:56.82 at the Shanghai Diamond League and further lowering it to 3:56.41 at the Eugene Diamond Race meet in Oregon, USA.

2015: Genzebe Dibaba's World Record

In 2021, Kipyegon ran the fourth-fastest female performance in history, just one second off Genzebe Dibaba's 2015 world record set in Monaco.

2015: First Race Over 5000m Since 2015

In June 2023, Kipyegon set her second world record which came as a surprise as it was her first race over the distance since 2015 and her third ever.

2016: Silver Medal at World Championships

In 2016 Kipyegon chopped more than two seconds from her Kenyan record, finishing second at the World Championships.

2016: Rio de Janeiro Olympics Gold Medal

In 2016, Kipyegon won a gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in the 1500 metres race.

2016: Olympic Gold Medal in Rio

In 2016, Kipyegon won the Olympic gold medal. She has said she was only wary of Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia because she had a fantastic season.

2017: Top 100 Most Influential Africans

In 2017, Kipyegon was cited as one of the Top 100 most influential Africans by New African magazine.

2017: World Athletics Championships Gold Medal

In 2017, Kipyegon won a gold medal in the 1,500 m at the World Athletics Championships.

2017: First Kenyan Female World 1500 m Champion

In August 2017, Kipyegon won the London World Championships, becoming the first Kenyan female world 1500 m champion. Kipyegon stated that "the victory at the World Championships in 2017 was sweeter because I fought the hardest".

2017: Coached by Patrick Sang

Since the end of 2017, Kipyegon has been coached by Patrick Sang in Kaptagat (and Kapsabet).

June 2018: Birth of Daughter, Alyn

In June 2018, Kipyegon gave birth to her daughter, Alyn.

January 2019: Return to Training

In January 2019, Kipyegon returned to training after an almost 18-month break after giving birth to her daughter.

2019: National Record Reference

In 2021, Kipyegon improved her 2019 Kenyan national record at the Diamond League meetings.

2019: Sifan Hassan's Mile World Record

On 21 July 2023, at the Monaco Diamond League, Kipyegon broke Sifan Hassan's mile world record of 4:12.33 which had stood since 2019.

2020: Unbeaten Diamond League and Continental Tour

In 2020, Kipyegon competed at the Diamond League and Continental Tour meetings, remaining unbeaten in all six races.

2020: Tokyo Olympics Gold Medal

In 2020, Kipyegon won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in the 1500 metres race.

2020: Second Consecutive Olympic Gold Medal

In August of the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Kipyegon secured her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the 1500 m event in a time of 3:53.11, breaking the Games record.

2020: Reference to Letesenbet Gidey's 5000m World Standard

In June 2023, Kipyegon made it two world records in a week after breaking Letesenbet Gidey's 5000 metres world standard of 14:06.62 set in 2020.

2021: Improved National Record at Diamond League Meetings

In 2021, Kipyegon improved her 2019 Kenyan national record at the Diamond League meetings. She ran 3:53.91 in Florence and then 3:51.07 in Monaco, the fourth-fastest female performance in history at the time.

August 2022: Monaco Diamond League and Zurich Victory

On 10 August 2022, at the Monaco Diamond League, Kipyegon came within 0.3 s of Dibaba's world record, setting a new Kenyan record. She ended her season with a victory at the Zürich circuit's final, earning her third Diamond League 1500 m title.

2022: World Athletics Championships Gold Medal

In 2022, Kipyegon won a gold medal in the 1,500 m at the World Athletics Championships.

July 2023: Mile World Record

On 21 July 2023, at the Monaco Diamond League, Kipyegon broke Sifan Hassan's mile world record, running 4:07.64.

2023: World Athletics Championships Double

At the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Kipyegon achieved the 1500m and 5000m double.

2023: 5000 Metres World Record Broken by Gudaf Tsegay

In 2023, Kipyegon's 5000 metres world record was broken by Gudaf Tsegay, who ran 14:00.21 at the Prefontaine Classic.

2023: Sirikwa Cross Country Classic Victory

On 4 February 2023, Kipyegon started her season with a victory at the Sirikwa Cross Country Classic (10 km) in Eldoret, Kenya.

June 2024: Kenyan Olympic Trials Win

In June 2024, at the Kenyan Olympic Trials in Nairobi, Kipyegon won both the 1500m and 5000m.

July 2024: 1500m World Record Broken

On 7 July 2024, at the Meeting de Paris, Kipyegon broke her own 1500m world record by seven hundredths of a second.

September 2024: Diamond League Victory in Brussels

On 14 September 2024, Kipyegon won the 1500 metres at the 2024 Diamond League final in Brussels, Belgium, in a meeting record time.

September 2024: Victory at Athlos Meeting in New York City

On 26 September 2024, Kipyegon won the first edition of Athlos, an all-woman track and field meeting at Icahn Stadium in New York City.

November 2024: Honorary Doctorate of Education

On 21 November 2024, the University of Eldoret conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Education on Kipyegon in recognition of her accomplishments.

2024: Paris Olympics: Three Consecutive Golds and Silver Medal

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kipyegon became the first athlete ever to win three consecutive gold medals in the 1500 m women's race, where she also set a new Olympic record. In addition to the 1500 m, she had previously earned a silver medal in the women's 5000 m, after successfully appealing a disqualification.

2024: Paris Olympics: Disqualification and Reinstatement

During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kipyegon initially won the silver medal in the women's 5,000 metres but faced disqualification. However, she was later reinstated to her silver medal position following a successful appeal. She also won gold in the 1500m, breaking her own Olympic record.