Kipyegon, Chebet hail historic feats after smashing world records
Kipyegon, 31, shattered her own women's 1,500m world record with a time of 3:48.68, while Chebet, 25, became the first woman in history to run the 5,000m in under 14 minutes, clocking 13:58.06.
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet returned home Monday night to a hero's welcome at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), following their record-breaking performances at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.
Kipyegon, 31, shattered her own women's 1,500m world record with a time of 3:48.68, while Chebet, 25, became the first woman in history to run the 5,000m in under 14 minutes, clocking 13:58.06.
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The duo was received by officials from the Sports Ministry, jubilant fans and traditional dancers in a colourful reception ceremony at the JKIA.
Speaking at the airport, Chebet, who now holds both world and Olympic titles in the 5,000m and 10,000m, expressed gratitude for accomplishing the feat, noting that her historic sub-14-minute finish was the result of mental and physical training.
"First of all, I want to thank God for bringing us home safely and everyone who came out to welcome us. We've felt so much love," she said.
"I had run 14:03 in Rome and knew I was capable. So when I went to the Prefontaine Classic, even though we were there to qualify for the World Championships, I had already prepared myself mentally to chase the world record."
Chebet added that her focus now shifts to the 2025 World Athletics Championships scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan, from September 14 to 21, 2025, noting that a gold medal at the championship remains the only major accolade missing from her career. However, she noted that the competition in Tokyo will be fierce.
"That gold medal is the only one I don't have but it's not going to be easy. Many top athletes will be participating. You don't just go there and expect to win; you have to work hard for it," she said.
On her part, Kipyegon stated that the Eugene triumph was deeply personal for her.
"God enabled me to run well—from preparing for the 'Breaking Four' project to breaking the world record in Eugene. It's such a huge achievement for me. Breaking my records since 2023 is a huge accomplishment," she said, smiling.
Asked whether her performance was a comeback after failing to break the four-minute mile in late June, the three-time Olympic 1500m champion was clear that her record-breaking performance was not about revenge.
"It wasn't about revenge. Breaking Four was a message to the world. I wanted to inspire the young generation to dare and dream. At Eugene, I knew I was capable. When I saw how close I came to the record during the Breaking Four attempt, I knew it was possible."
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