Superstar Faith Kipyegon headlines inaugural World Road Running Championships Mile
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By Jon Mulkeen of World Athletics
Faith Kipyegon showed with her 5000m world record earlier this year that she doesn’t fear the unknown.
She had raced just twice over the distance before that, some eight years prior. But she took on – and ran away from – a quality field to set her second of three track world records this year.
Now, despite having never raced on the roads, the Kenyan great turns her attention to the Mile at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23 on Sunday, October 1, where she is aiming to win her third global title of the year, following the 1500m and 5000m golds she earned in Budapest.
The 29-year-old has already shown versatility across different terrains, as well as distances. Back in 2011 she won her first global title in the U20 race at the World Cross Country Championships, which she successfully defended two years later.
The track has been her main focus in recent years, but she has often spoken of a potential move to the roads – and eventually the marathon – so her appearance in Riga marks the first significant step in that plan.
Her track Mile world record of 4:07.64, set earlier this year in Monaco, is seven seconds faster than the PR of the next-fastest entrant. It’s also 20 seconds faster than the newly ratified official road Mile world record (4:27.97), which belongs to USA’s Nikki Hiltz.
It’s probably safe to assume that the winning time in Riga will fall somewhere between the existing world records for the track Mile and the road Mile. And while it would be brave to bet against Kipyegon, there is never a guarantee in sport – especially with a field as good as the one in Riga.
Ethiopia has selected three of its best middle-distance runners, all of whom have bettered 3:56 for 1500m this year.
Diribe Welteji was Kipyegon’s closest challenger at the World Championships in Budapest, finishing within one second of the Kenyan to take silver in 3:55.69. She went on to set a PR of 3:53.93 at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Eugene, once again finishing second to Kipyegon.
World indoor bronze medallist Hirut Meshesha enjoyed a breakthrough run at the Diamond League meeting in Silesia in July, clocking a PR of 3:54.87. She will be fired up to end her year on a high, having missed out on making the World Championships final in Budapest.
Fellow Ethiopian Freweyni Hailu has displayed remarkable range in recent years, clocking PRs of 1:57.57 for 800m, 3:55.68 for 1500m and 14:23.45 for 5000m. She took world indoor silver over 800m last year, and placed seventh in the 5000m in Budapest last month. Her 1500m PR was set just earlier this month at the Diamond League Final, so she’ll carry strong form into Riga.
Kipyegon won’t be alone in her quest to secure a medal for Kenya, as she’ll have support from compatriot Nelly Chepchirchir. The 20-year-old has been a revelation this year, breaking 4:00 for 1500m on five occasions, placing fifth at the World Championships, and clocking a PR of 3:56.72.
Steeplechase world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech had also been entered, but is a late withdrawal.
The fight for medals won’t be an all Kenya-Ethiopia affair, though.
Australia’s Jessica Hull has had one of her best seasons to-date, starting with mixed relay bronze at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, and continuing with Oceanian records for 3000m and the Mile. Her 1500m PR of 3:57.29 back in June also briefly stood as an area record, and she went on to place seventh in Budapest.
Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka has also been in record-breaking form this year. The 24-year-old, who already held the Japanese 1500m record at 3:59.19, has twice broken the national 5000m record this year, reducing it to 14:29.18. She is entered for both the Mile and 5K in Riga, despite them being scheduled just 70 minutes apart.
Teenager Addison Wiley displayed strong form at the end of the track season, clocking PRs of 1:57.64 and 3:59.17 in her final 800m and 1500m races of 2023. She leads a strong USA squad alongside Emily Mackay and Helen Schlachtenhaufen.
Other contenders include Spain’s Marta Perez, Britain’s Sarah McDonald and Uganda’s Winnie Nanyondo.
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