TOKYO, Japan, Aug 6 – Double Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon has dedicated her Tokyo 2020 gold medal to her three-year daughter Alyn Chepkor Kiprono.
Kipyegon, had a good tactical race to down Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, clocking an Olympic Record time of 3: 53.11 and retain her gold medal and send the Kenyan stand at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium into jubilation.
This is the first time that the two-time world champion is winning a medal as a mother and she was elated as she said it meant a lot to her first-born baby.
“I dedicate this medal to my daughter. This is very special; winning as a mum really means a lot to me; this medal belongs to Alyn. She was watching back at home and I know she is really excited and very happy,” Kipyegon revealed.
Kipyegon took a long maternity leave in 2017 just after the World Championships, where she won her maiden world tile, the same year she led Team Kenya to gold in the women’s senior World Cross Country.
“In 2019 I was coming from maternity leave and I was struggling to get back to shape. That’s why I did not win a gold medal at the World Championships. But today I knew I am strong and I knew I was going to battle it with Sifan and Muir. Everybody was going for this medal and I am so grateful today,” Kipyegon said.
-Emotional gold-
When Kipyegon crossed the finish line at the Tokyo Olympic Games, she went down on her knees and covered herself with the Kenyan flag, asking her what that meant, she said;
“It was emotional, I went down in my knees and I thanked God because when I stepped out of my room in the morning, I asked God to enable me perform well, and covering myself with the flag, I was showing Kenyans to give us support so that we do well,” Kipyegon underscored.
Back to the race, where she was under pressure to deliver, there was the talk of the inform Sifan of the Netherlands, her being the defending champion and Kenyans eagerly anticipating for the second gold.
“I am so happy. I thank God, He has enabled me to defend my title which was my dream. For me I was running my race. When Sifan went ahead, my target was to follow her because I knew I had prepared well and I was in good shape and with 250m to go I went infront. When I saw Sifan is not responding, I gave it my all because my aim was on the title defence,” the 27-year-old described.
She added, “I knew everyone was speaking of Sifan but I managed to outdo her. This gold has at least given Kenyans something to smile about because they were really waiting for it and I could not let it go.”
With many describing the track as a fast one, Kipyegon was not shocked by running the Olympic Record, saying she was expecting a World Record because of the deep field in the race.
“I was expecting that we could even go faster than that because I knew Sifan was strong. I was in good shape and I had prepared well, Britain’s Laura Muir was in top form so I knew that whoever wins will go for the World Record or Olympic Record. I thank God I’m the one who broke it,” Kipyegon, who entered the race from winning the Monaco Diamond League in July, said.
However, she is hopeful of going for the World Record this season.
“I feel I am in good shape, and now with two Olympic titles, I will go for the World Record this year. hopefully I stay injury free and I believe in my self that the record will come home,” Kipyegon assured.
Muir, who claimed silver set a National Record (3:54.50) while Sifan clocked 3:55.86.
The women’s 1500m World Record is currently being held by Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba, who set the fasted time of 3:50.07 in Monaco Diamond League in 2015.
–Alex Isaboke is reporting from Tokyo, Japan
