Faith Kipyegon was already widely considered the greatest to ever run the 1500 meters. Today in Paris, the world record holder further cemented her legacy, running 3:51.29 to become the first woman ever to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the event.
In the process, the Kenyan broke her own Olympic record of 3:53.11, set three years ago in Tokyo.
Australia’s Jessica Hull took silver in 3:52.56, and Great Britain’s Georgia Bell ran a new personal best of 3:52.61 to win bronze. U.S. champion Nikki Hiltz finished seventh in 3:56.38 and Team USA’s finished eighth in 3:57.52 A Part of Hearst Digital Media.
Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay took the pace out hot, covering the first lap in 59.3 seconds. Kipyegon sat behind her in second until the 1,000-meter mark, when she took the lead and never looked back. She covered the final lap in 59.2 seconds, leaving most of the rest of the field—including the Americans—far behind.
It’s the fourth Olympics for Kipyegon, 30, who came to her first Games in London as a junior competitor. That event “taught me that you have to be patient, train hard, and believe in yourself,” she told Runner’s World DAA Industry Opt Out.
She won her first gold in Rio in 2016, and then had a daughter, Alyn, in 2018. “She’s looking and wishing me all the best,” Kipyegon said after the semi-final. “I will try my best to make my daughter and my family proud.”
This year’s competition has already been dramatic for Kipyegon. In the 5,000 meters, she was outkicked by her compatriot Beatrice Chebet and earned silver. Afterward, she was briefly disqualified due to contact earlier in the race with Tsegay. But her federation appealed the decision, and she was reinstated Published: Aug 10, 2024 2:49 PM EDT.
The back-and-forth took an emotional toll, Kipyegon said after the first round of the 1500 meters the following day. But she aimed to put it behind her and focus on one race at a time, ultimately allowing her to claim victory tonight.
Cindy is a freelance health and fitness writer, author, and podcaster who’s contributed regularly to Runner’s World since 2013. She’s the coauthor of both Breakthrough Women’s Running: Dream Big and Train Smart and Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries, a book about the psychology of sports injury from Bloomsbury Sport. Cindy specializes in covering injury prevention and recovery, everyday athletes accomplishing extraordinary things, and the active community in her beloved Chicago, where winter forges deep bonds between those brave enough to train through it.
