President William Ruto has congratulated Kenyan athlete Faith Kipyegon after she came close to breaking the four-minute mile mark.

Taking to his official X account on Thursday, June 26, 2025, Ruto stated that Kipyegon carried the hopes of the nation and proved that Kenyan greatness knows no limits.

Ruto further stated that Kipyegon’s triumph was not just athletic but also historic and that it inspires everyone to run beyond their own boundaries.

“CONGRATULATIONS, FAITH. With every stride, you carried the hopes of our nation and proved that KENYAN GREATNESS KNOWS NO LIMITS. Your triumph is not just athletic; it is historic, and it inspires us all to run beyond our own boundaries,” Ruto stated.

pic.twitter.com/KoPG2D3LpS

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) June 26, 2025

Kipyegon’s sub-4-minute attempt

Kipyegon came tantalisingly close to rewriting history on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at the Stade Sébastien Charléty in Paris, where she clocked a blistering 4:06.12 in the mile.

Despite falling just over six seconds short of breaking the elusive four-minute barrier, a feat no woman has ever achieved, Kipyegon’s time was still a second faster than the world record she already holds.

Chasing history, creating legacy 💜

Still the fastest mile run by a woman in history, @Kipyegon_Faith gives everything in her quest to break the 4️⃣ minute mile and stops the clock at 4:06.42.

Thank you, Faith, for making us dream.

Maybe not today, but soon…😤 pic.twitter.com/Px9xTqNA9S

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) June 26, 2025

The performance, staged as part of a high-profile Nike exhibition event, reaffirmed her dominance in women’s middle-distance running and stirred global admiration for her relentless pursuit of excellence.

Running in specially designed Nike spikes and an aerodynamic racing suit and aided by an 11-pacer formation to minimise wind resistance, Kipyegon set a searing pace in front of a charged Parisian crowd. However, her audacious attempt to slice 7.65 seconds off her own world record would ultimately fall short.

Kipyegon, a three-time Olympic champion and four-time world champion, had hoped the run would be a career-defining moment, not just for herself but for women and girls across the globe.