By MG Team
Triple Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon and double Olympic winner Beatrice Chebet were on Tuesday honoured by the State in Nairobi for shattering the women’s 1500m and 5000m world records, respectively, at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon, USA last Saturday. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.
The duo was awarded Sh5 Million each for the feats, which saw Kipyegon, fresh from attempting the sub-4 minute in the mile in France, lowered her 1500m record by 36 seconds to 3:48.68 in Oregon.
Likewise, smiling assassin Chebet made history in Oregon for becoming the first woman in history to run a sub-14 in 5000m, after she clocked 13:58.06 to set a new world record in the category.
Ironically, it was the same Hayward Field location where Chebet set a new world record in women’s 10000m (28:54.14) last season, becoming the first woman in history to run a sub 29 in the discipline.
Both President William Ruto and Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya hailed Kipyegon and Chebet for their glory in Oregon.
Kenya also used to the 2025 Prefontaine Classic, which was the ninth leg of the 2025 Wanda Diamond League, to select the men and women’s 5000m and 10000m squads that will ply trade for the country at the 2025 Tokyo World Championships set for Japan on September 13-21.
Kipyegon and Chebet are already in the Team Kenya for the Tokyo Worlds, that will be officially announced by Athletics Kenya (AK) at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi on July 22 during the national trials for the Tokyo World Championships showpiece.
While receiving accolades from the State on Tuesday for smashing the world records in Oregon, both Kipyegon and Chebet decried state of athletics facilities in the country.
“It was a toll order for me while preparing to break the four minutes barrier in the mile race I ran in France. I searched for better venues for preparations but there was non. I finally settled for the double facilities (Annex and Chepkoilel campuses) at the Eldoret University School of Law, they had a plethora of challenges even though I’m grateful that they came to my rescue,” Kipyegon told Standard Sports.
“I can tell you that the conditions for my training was not good, I really tried my all to be the best of the best in that quest to break the sub 4, I think this is what inspired me to go ahead and break the 1500m record in Oregon after the disappointment,” Kipyegon highlighted.
Before settling for Annex and Chepkoilel, Kipyegon had thought of the historic Kipchoge Keino stadium in Eldoret unfortunately, and to her surprise, the venue was out of bounds.
“I was really disappointed. That’s where I had channeled all my motivation, inspiration and energy for my dream to become the first woman in the world to break the four minutes in the mile.
“And I really feel very emotional to talk about this. At this time and age and where I have reached, I should not be talking about facilities in my own nation as you know, all the elite athletes we do compete with at the world stage have them at their own disposal in their countries,” Kipyegon highlighted.
She further stated: “If a country has good tracks, if a nation has good facilities, their athletes will even perform better on the world stage. It is my firm belief that the Government will listen to this humble request I’m, again, putting forward.
“State of the art facilities will not only serve us and athletes of my generation, but also those coming after us, who are currently looking on us for inspiration, and the generations in the future.”
Kipyegon’s sentiments were echoed by Chebet who said the former inspired her to go for the sub 14 in the women’s 5000m showpiece in Oregon.
“The situation of Faith made me very emotional as she was struggling to get a proper venue for her sub 4 Mile training,” Chebet said.
“We do appreciate the love and support given to us by the Sports Ministry, the Government and Athletics Kenya, however, we endure so much in our preparations to conquer the world. This is due to lack of proper facilities.
“I saw that Faith could miss training during rainy days. Sometimes she could wait for long hours for the rains to subside to carry on with her preparations and this was a great challenge to her preparations for the sub 4 Mile.”
“With good facilities, we are assured of even lowering these records further,” Chebet reiterated.
Chebet said achieving a sub 14 in 5000m this year and a sub 29 in the 10,000m last season took her sweat, heat and blood as she did her preparations on murramed surfaces.
“Achieving these records on such kind of tracks is a clear indication that we can do a lot better with good and state of the art facilities,” said Chebet, who pledged to bring home gold from the September Tokyo Worlds.
