Kenya’s Olympic champion, backed by Nike’s sports scientists, is striving for the perfect formula to set a new world record
E
ight seconds. It’s barely enough time for most people to tie their shoelaces. But when you are Faith Kipyegon, and you’re trying to become the first woman to shatter the four-minute mile barrier, those eight seconds constitute a chasm.
But now we know how the 31-year-old Kenyan, who set the mile world record of 4 mins 7.64 secs in 2023, intends to close the gap and emulate Sir Roger Bannister’s historic feat.
On Thursday her sponsor Nike revealed that when Kipyegon makes her sub-four attempt in Paris on 26 June, she will be wearing a special aerodynamic skinsuit with “3D-printed aeronodes”, along with new super spikes, which are even lighter and more propulsive.
