NAIROBI, Kenya, May 6 – Two-time world 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon says her ultimate target in 2023 is to smash the women’s world record on her way to a third world title at the World Championships in Budapest in August.
Kipyegon said she believes she has what it takes to surpass the achievement of Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba who set a new world record of 3:50.07 at the Monaco Diamond League in 2015.
“I am really grateful to be here and looking forward to the rest of the season. My big goal is to win the World Championships and to break the world record this summer,” the 28-year-old said.
The two-time Olympics 1500m champion came within 30 seconds of becoming the world’s fastest when she clocked 3:50.37 at the same race in August last year.
It followed on from a fruitful outing at the World Championships in Oregon where she clocked 3:52.96 to reclaim her world 1500 metres title, adding on to a second Olympic gold clinched a year earlier in Tokyo, Japan.
It has been business as usual for Kipyegon who on Friday night warmed up for Budapest with a world lead of 3:58.57 to win the women’s 1500 metres at the Doha Diamond League.
Ethiopian duo of Diribe Welteji (3:59.34) and Freweyni Hailu (4:00.29) finished second and third respectively.
She described the race as an exciting but challenging one by way of the windy conditions – which she was only too happy to come up against.
“I am very pleased with the start of my season. It was an exciting race but a little windy so I decided not to push too much and focus on winning the race. I have been training well…I really like the fans in Doha. The crowd and the fans are really amazing…thank you for coming out to cheer us on,” she said.
Kipyegon’s other win in 2023 was at February’s Sirikwa World Cross Country Tour where she clocked 33:55 to win the senior women’s race.
