Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon gave herself a timely confidence boost ahead of the Paris Olympics after she set a new world record in the women’s 1500 metres at the Paris Diamond League meet on Sunday.
Guided by two pacemakers, Kipyegon took the lead and completed the race in an astonishing 3 minutes 49.04 seconds at Stade Charlety, surpassing her previous best time set in Florence in June 2023 by 0.07 seconds.
The race turned into a heart-stopping showdown. Kipyegon and Australian contender Jessica Hull raced side by side until the last 200 meters, when Kipyegon surged ahead, sealing her victory with a breathtaking finish.
Being a double Olympic 1500m champion and holder of three world titles, the 30-year-old is undoubtedly the red-hot favourite for the upcoming Summer Games in Paris.
Her remarkable achievements include winning the 5,000m and the 1500m at the Budapest World Championships last year.
Injury stalled her season, leading to her missing earlier commitments at the Diamond League meetings in Xiamen and Eugene. Despite these challenges, her return to the track has been spectacular, confirming her status as the athlete to beat in Paris.