Athletics-Kipyegon falls well short in bid for first sub-four-minute mile

By Vincent Daheron

PARIS, June 26 - Faith Kipyegon fell short in her attempt to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes on Thursday when she clocked 4:06.42 in a Nike "Breaking4" project that, though faster than her own world record, will not be ratified.

The 31-year-old triple world and Olympic 1,500 metres champion had needed to take more than seven seconds off her own 2023 world record of 4:07.64 but, despite a series of aids, managed just over one second.

She was helped by innovative new kit, super-spikes and, crucially, a phalanx of mostly male pacers who blocked the wind on the four and a bit laps of the Stade Charlety track where she set her 1,500m world record last year.

She was about on course at halfway but could then not keep up with the coloured pacing lights inside the track and drifted on the final lap.

Those pacers meant, just as with compatriot Eliud Kipchoge's sub-two-hour marathon in 2019, that the new mark will not be recognised as a world record.