The Interval

On a warm evening in Paris, Faith Kipyegon stepped onto the track at Stade Charléty with the weight of sporting history on her shoulders. The triple Olympic champion from Kenya had one singular goal: to become the first woman ever to run a mile in under four minutes. When the dust settled on Thursday, 26 June, she had run the fastest mile in women’s history - but the elusive sub-four barrier remained intact.

Kipyegon crossed the finish line in 4:06.42, falling 6.91 seconds short of her ambitious target. Yet in defeat, she delivered what many are calling one of the most compelling performances in women’s distance running history.

The Scale of the Challenge

To understand the magnitude of Kipyegon’s attempt, one must grasp the mathematical reality she faced. Shaving eight seconds off her previous world record of 4:07.64 represented a 3.2% improvement - a seismic leap at the sharp end of elite sport where year-to-year gains are usually less than 1%.

The four-minute barrier has stood as athletics’ most famous frontier since Roger Bannister first broke it at Oxford’s Iffley Road track on 6 May 1954. Since then, over 1,750 men have dipped under four minutes, yet no woman has ever achieved the feat over the imperial mile distance.

Nike’s Breaking4 Project

This wasn’t just another race on the Diamond League circuit. Nike orchestrated the “Breaking4” project specifically to give Kipyegon optimal conditions for her historic attempt. The exhibition used male pacers and featured custom-designed spikes, meaning any record wouldn’t count as official - but the focus was purely on pushing the boundaries of human performance.

The event was billed as “a moment where radical belief meets revolutionary innovation,” featuring precision pacing, ideal track conditions, and custom-made footwear.

Race Breakdown: So Close, Yet So Far

Kipyegon’s attempt started with characteristic precision. She hit 1200 metres in 3:01.84, which translated to 4:03.82 mile pace - tantalisingly close to the target. With 400 metres to go, the sub-four dream was alive.

But the final lap proved the cruelest. Kipyegon faded to a 63-second final 400 metres, those precious seconds slipping away as the finish line approached. Still, she maintained her composure to deliver a performance that rewrote the record books, even if it didn’t shatter the ultimate barrier.

The Broader Context

Kipyegon’s attempt comes at a fascinating time for women’s middle-distance running. The number of women who have run under four minutes for 1,500 metres has more than doubled in the last five years, with 51 women achieving the feat between 2020 and 2024 compared to just 21 in the preceding decade.

This explosion in depth suggests the sport is experiencing a golden era for women’s distance running, with better training methods, improved nutrition, and advanced footwear technology all contributing to faster times.

What This Means for British Running

For British running enthusiasts, Kipyegon’s attempt serves as both inspiration and benchmark. The Kenyan’s dominance - including three consecutive Olympic 1500m titles and four world championship titles across the 1500m and 5000m distances - represents the pinnacle of middle-distance excellence.

British women’s middle-distance running has produced legends like Kelly Holmes and Paula Radcliffe, and current athletes will undoubtedly be watching Kipyegon’s fearless pursuit of seemingly impossible goals. Her willingness to fail spectacularly in pursuit of greatness embodies the spirit that makes distance running so compelling.

The Form Guide

Kipyegon arrived in Paris in ominous form. In her only race of 2025 prior to the attempt, she won a 1,000-metre race in China in 2:29.21, just 0.23 seconds off the world record - exactly the pace needed for a sub-four mile.

Her 1500-metre world record of 3:49.04, set in 2024, converts to approximately 4:06.50 for the mile, which made her finishing time of 4:06.42 a logical progression rather than a breakthrough performance.

What’s Next?

While Thursday’s attempt didn’t deliver the historic breakthrough many hoped for, it demonstrated that the four-minute barrier for women isn’t a question of if, but when. Kipyegon has shown she possesses the physical capabilities and tactical acumen to threaten the mark.

The question now is whether she’ll return for another attempt, or if her effort will inspire a new generation of middle-distance runners to take up the challenge. Either way, her courage in Paris has advanced the conversation about women’s distance running potential.

As British running fans know all too well, sometimes the most meaningful victories come in defeat. Kipyegon’s 4:06.42 may not have broken the four-minute barrier, but it shattered preconceptions about what’s possible - and that might prove even more valuable in the long run.

The sub-four mile remains unconquered, but Faith Kipyegon has brought it tantalisingly within reach. The question isn’t whether a woman will eventually break four minutes - it’s who will be brave enough to chase Kipyegon’s shadow.