NAIROBI, Kenya, August 10 – Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon cemented her sporting immortality when she won her third consecutive Olympics title in the women’s 1500m at the Paris Olympics on Saturday evening.
Tens of thousands of fans at the Stade France were left in awe and admiration as Kipyegon clocked an Olympic record of 3:51.29 to grab gold.
Australia’s Jessica Hull came second in 3:52.56 as Georgia Bell of Great Britain timed a national record of 3:52.61 to bag bronze.
The race began at a frenetic pace, Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay taking off to the front of the pack at the sound of the gun to which the double world record holder responded by going toe-to-toe with her.
Close behind was another Ethiopian Diribe Welteji who would momentarily take the lead as Tsegay seemed to wither to the rear of the pack.
Hard as Welteji tried, Kipyegon’s customary kick was too much for the young Ethiopian to handle as the two time world champion surged to a third consecutive Olympics title in the women’s 1500m.
The feat puts her in history books as the first female athlete to do so at the Olympics and makes the case for Kipyegon as the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) in the three-and-a-quarter lap race.
Kipyegon also won silver in the women’s 5000m, coming second to another Kenyan, Beatrice Chebet.
