Kenya's middle-distance gem Faith Kipyegon is poised to make millions in less than four minutes as she gears up to attempt a feat which has never been achieved by a human before.
The 31-year old is seeking to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes at Stade Sébastien Charléty in Paris in a highly-anticipated event on Thursday, June 26.
Ahead of the ambitious challenge, Reddit co-founder and entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian took the stakes a notch higher by offering a cash bonus of Ksh 13 million cash prize (USD100,000) to Kipyegon if she breaks the record.
Ohanian, who is also the husband of tennis legend Serena Williams, made the pledge through ATHLOS, a women’s sports platform he co-founded to promote and reward elite female athletes.
The cash reward is part of a broader effort by the company to shine a spotlight on women in sport while also challenging long-standing performance barriers.
Notably, ATHLOS's cash incentive is one of the many good things which could come Kipyegon's way if she achieves the near-impossible feat in Paris. Since the event is sponsored by Nike, one of the largest footwear companies in the world, Kipyegon stands to gain hefty rewards and deals if she runs a sub-four-minute mile.
Part of the reason Kipyegon is seen as the perfect candidate to set world history is because she is the current record holder in the women’s mile world record, having run that race in 4:07.64 at the Monaco Diamond League in 2023.
Breaking her own record by almost eight seconds will be an uphill task for Kipyegon. It will require special conditions and one of the most remarkable athletic performances in history.
According to sports scientists, while the feat is incredibly difficult, it is well within the capabilities of the human body. With near-perfect conditions and a calculated pacing strategy, Kipyegon could achieve it.
Notably, Kenya's marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge made history in 2019 after running a marathon below two hours in a challenge in which he largely benefitted from favourable conditions, including having a pacesetter.
The two-time Olympic champion is no stranger to rewriting the record books.
In addition to holding a mile record, Kipyegon, a three-time world titleholder in the 1,500m race, also holds the world record in the 5,000m race. She is largely regarded as one of the greatest middle-distance runners of all time.
