Faith Kipyegon of Kenya won gold in the 1.500 m for the third time at the Budapest World Championships on Tuesday evening, while Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi put on a display.
Kipyegon, the world’s top runner at the moment, is on cloud nine in 2023, adding to her incredible collection of accolades.
“I was chasing history today, and I succeeded,” she enthused, the only runner with three world titles over the distance.
After winning gold in the World Championships in 2017 and 2022, silver in 2015 and 2019, and two Olympic gold medals in 2016 and 2021, the Kenyan has added to her collection.
After this year’s world records for the 1,500 m (3:49.11 in Florence on June 2), the 5,000 m (14:05.20 in Paris on June 9) and the mile (approx. 1,616 m, 4:07.64 in Monaco on July 21), this was an easy pick.
She set a steady pace then gradually accelerated, with no one able to keep up with her on the final lap, to cross the line in 3 min 54 sec 87, well ahead of her Ethiopian runner-up Diribe Welteji, who confirmed her great talent with her first international podium at the age of 21.
Rediscover my speed
Kipyegon, a native of Chebaraa in central Kenya, was able to put her career on hold to give birth to her daughter Alyn in June 2018, then return to the top.
“I know what women go through after maternity leave. They think it’s the end of their lives. I want to prove them wrong,” she told AFP in June at her training camp in Kaptagat, where she runs with marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge.
There was no duel with her Dutch adversary Sifan Hassan, who lingered at the rear of the pack for the majority of the race but still managed to take bronze. A great consolation award following a sad finale to the 10,000 m on Saturday, when she crashed just metres from the finish line while fighting for the crown.
“Only a few weeks ago, I was still on my marathon (victory in London in April on her first attempt) and I was having trouble finding my speed again. My coach and I talked about not doing the 1,500m. I never imagined I’d win a medal there”, said Hassan.
The two champions will square off again in the 5,000 m, with Kipyegon the overwhelming favorite. The heats, which were initially scheduled for late morning on Wednesday, were rescheduled to early evening by World Athletics because to the hot weather in Budapest (about 35 degrees).