Historic Attempt Happening
TodayKipyegon will attempt to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes this Thursday, June 26, at 8:30PM . This is happening TODAY at the Stade Charléty in Paris as part of Nike’s “Breaking4” project.
The Challenge
Triple Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya will attempt to make history by becoming the first woman to run a sub-four minute mile on Thursday, but to do so she must shave nearly eight seconds off her current world record. She will attempt to shave at least 7.65 seconds off her world record time of 4:07.64, set in 2023, to become the first woman to break the threshold Roger Bannister first surpassed roughly 70 years ago.
FAITH KIPYEGON’S CREDENTIALS
Current Achievements
Kipyegon is the current world record holder in the mile, in addition to holding the world record over 1,500 meters. She is a three-time Olympic Champion, most recently taking home a gold medal in the 1,500 meters at the Paris Summer Games. She is also a four-time World Champion.
Recent Form
In her only race so far in 2025, she won a 1,000-meter race in China in 2:29.21, just 0.23 of a second off the world record. That’s the exact pace she’ll need to run for a full mile—an additional 609 meters or an additional lap and a half around the track.
THE ATTEMPT DETAILS
Nike Partnership & Livestream
Nike and Amazon Set Livestream As Kenyan track star Faith Kipyegon attempts to be the first woman to break the four-minute mile.
Nike is hoping its effort to help Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon run a mile in under four minutes will recapture the attention of women.
Support from Kenya’s Marathon
LegendEliud Kipchoge, the greatest marathon runner ever, has shown his support for Faith Kipyegon as she tries to run a mile in under four minutes.
RECORD RECOGNITION CONTROVERSY
Official Recognition
IssuesFaith Kipyegon is aiming to become the first woman to run the women’s mile under four minutes. If the Olympic champion breaks the barrier, it won’t be official according to World Athletics standards, though the reason wasn’t detailed in the available sources.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The Four-Minute Barrier
The four-minute mile has been considered one of athletics’ most elusive barriers. Roger Bannister was the first man to break it in 1954, but no woman has ever achieved this feat. The 31-year-old will need to shave just under eight seconds off her record time of 4 minutes 7.64 seconds when she makes her attempt Thursday on the first of a three-day window in the Nike-sponsored Breaking4 race in Paris.
Faith Kipyegon’s attempt represents one of the most ambitious goals in women’s athletics, seeking to break a barrier that has stood for over 70 years since the men’s record was first broken.
