African athletics history wouldn’t be complete without Kenya’s legendary runner Faith Kipyegon, who has achieved unprecedented success in the 1500m, mile, and 5000m events.
She won a historic fourth world 1500m title at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, extending her streak of dominance with a fifth consecutive global gold medal in the event.
Kipyegon, born in January 1994, is a Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner.
She holds world records in the 1500 meters, the mile and is a former world record holder in the 5000 meters.
The Kenyan athlete is the only three-time champion in the 1500 meters, having won gold medals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro, 2020 Tokyo, and 2024 Paris Olympics.
She also won gold medals in the 1500 meters at the 2017, 2022, 2023, and 2025 World Championships and in the 5000 meters at the 2023 World Championships.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kipyegon became the first athlete to win three consecutive gold medals in the women’s 1500m race, setting a new Olympic record.
These achievements have earned her the title of Greatest African Athlete of All Time (GOAT).
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Here’s a look at Kipyegon’s world records in the 1500m, mile, and 5000m.
World records in 1500m, the Mile and 5000m
Olympic Games
2016 – gold
2020 – gold
2016 – gold
2024 – gold, silver
World Championships
2015- silver
2017 – gold
2019 – silver
2022 – gold
2023 – two gold
2025 – gold
World Relays
2014 – gold
Commonwealth Games
2014 – gold
World Cross Country
2010 – gold
2011 – gold, silver
2012 – gold
2013 – goldx2
2017 – gold
African Cross Country
2012 – gold
2014 – gold x2
World Road Running
2023 – gold
SB/JE
Meanwhile, watch as Ghanaians debate the performance of Black Stars coach Otto Addo
