When Faith Kipyegon is in action at a Wanda Diamond League meeting, there is always a chance that something special could happen.
The Kenyan distance star has delivered highlight after highlight in athletics’ premier one-day series in recent years, breaking a world record on no fewer than four separate occasions in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
As she lined up in Eugene for only her second appearance of the season on Saturday, hopes were high that Kipyegon could once again write history in the 1500m.
Fresh from her audacious attempt at a four-minute mile in Paris, Kipyegon was all smiles as she returned to the site of her 2023 Diamond League title win.
Having missed out on the four-minute mark in France, the 31-year-old was all the more determined to attack her own 1500m world record of 3:49.04, set at the Paris Diamond League last season.
Despite a dominant performance, it was touch and go in the final lap, with Kipyegon having to dig deep to catch the green wavelight that marked the world record time.
Yet as so often before, the Kenyan triumphed in the end. As she crossed the line, the Wanda Diamond League’s Official Timekeeper OMEGA clocked her at 3:48.68, a full 0.36 seconds faster than her previous record.
It was the second world record set by a Kenyan at this year’s Prefontaine Classic, after Beatrice Chebet became the first woman to go under 14 minutes in the 5000m with a breathtaking 13:58.06.
