Faith Kipyegon joined Kenyan athletes who recorded stellar performances at the 50th edition of the Prefontaine Classic on Sunday, July 6, 2025.

The three-time Olympic 1500m champion clocked 3 minutes, 48.68 seconds to break the 1500m world record for a third consecutive year.

Faith Kipyegon obliterated the previous record of 3:49.04 that she set at the Paris Diamond League on July 7, 2024. She previously lowered it to 3:49.11 in 2023.

Kipyegon sprinted alone down the stretch at Hayward Field, cheered by the crowd. After crossing the finish line, she wrapped herself in the Kenyan flag.

She’s done it again 🤩

Faith Kipyegon closes out the @nikepreclassic with a jaw-dropping 3:48.68 world record in the 1500m 😤

She lowers her own world record by .36 seconds almost exactly a year to the day after setting it 🐐#DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/xzUcn2Hqya

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) July 5, 2025

Unexpected win

Speaking after the race, Kipyegon said her record-breaking win came as a surprise as she was only prepared to set a world lead. Support from the fans pushed to the limit and helped her break her own record.

“I did not expect to run a world record, I was expecting a world lead, it just came as a surprise. I really thank God, my coach, my management for coming along and telling me to be patient and just run my race,” Faith Kipyegon said in post post-race interview.

“The crowd was really nice, the fans were cheering, that is why I was pushing in the last 400m, knowing that everything was possible. When I heard the bell, I could feel that I could still push more than that and I was really pushing and hearing the crowd saying ‘go go go!”

Ethiopian Diribe Welteji clocked a personal best (PB) of 3:51.44 to finish second as Australian Jessica Hull timed a season’s best (SB) of 3:52.67 to take third place.

She joined her compatriots Beatrice Chebet and Faith Cherotich, who also recorded stellar performances in at the Prefontaine Classic.

Chebet smashed the world record on Saturday, July 5, 2025, on her way to victory and became the first woman in history to cover 5000m inside 14 minutes, clocking a world record* of 13:58.06.

Cherotich, on the other side, clocked a personal best (PB) of 8:48.71 to finish second in the women’s 3000m steeplechase at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon.

Faith Kipyegon’s 4-mile attempt

Faith Kipyegon record record-breaking run in Oregon came weeks after she fell short in her bid to become the first woman in history to run a sub-four-minute mile.

The Kenyan, 31, clocked four minutes and 06.42 seconds in perfect conditions at Stade Charlety in Paris – a time 1.22 seconds faster than her world record – in pursuit of the momentous feat.

“I have proven that it is possible, it is only a matter of time. If it is not me, it will be somebody else,” Kipyegon said after the race.

“I will not lose hope, I will still go for it. I hope I will get it one day,” she added.