Olympic champ Kipyegon goes for another world record

Faith Kipyegon when she won the 5000m during the trials for World  Championships. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Dutch star Sifan Hassan will not be sitting pretty this evening.

Record breaker Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon will be tuning her sights on the Ethiopian-born athlete’s fastest time in One Mile.

Kipyegon will be the key highlight as top stars display their speed, brilliance and racing tactics at the ninth leg of the Diamond League circuit in Monaco.

The superstar is a major threat to the 4:12.33 One Mile record set by Hassan in Monaco in 2019.

Kipyegon shattered the 1500m world record at the Florence Diamond League on June 2 before following that up with a jaw-dropping fastest time in 5000m in Paris a week later (on June 9), making her the first athlete in Diamond League history to break the world record in two separate disciplines in the circuit.

When in Monaco, an in-form Kipyegon is literally at home. Last year She came agonizingly close to the previous 1,500m world record at the Monaco Diamond League leg in August 2022, falling just 0.3 seconds short of the former mark.

Kipyegon last ran The Mile at the 2016 Oslo Diamond League, and with her record-breaking streak, anything can happen in Monaco.

Before the Budapest trials earlier this month, the track rocket hinted at going for the record, if the conditions would allow it.

“Why wait to break another time? If the conditions allow, The Mile record is also a possibility. Anything is possible,” Kipyegon said.

Observers say whether she attempts The Mile record or not, Kipyegon remains the firm favourite when the world's best descend The Stade Louis II in Monaco today.

World Record pedigree athletes have been assembled for the Monaco Diamond League.

Kipyegon is the fastest in the rich field, taking to Monaco her 4:16.71 in the distance.

Olympic 1,500m silver medallist Laura Muir of Great Britain with a Mile personal best of 4:18.03, Australian World Cross Country bronze medallist Jessica Hull (4:18.24) and Uganda’s double national champion Janat Chemusto (4:20.04) will also be eyeing glory.

Another sensational Kenyan, African record holder, and Commonwealth champion Ferdinand Omanyala will be eyeing victory in the 100m.

Omanyala will be battling Jamaican Ackeem Blake for honours. Also in the men’s 100m sprint are Akani Simbine of South Africa as well as Jamaican Kishane Thomson and USA’s Courtney Lindsey.

Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, junior world record holder in 9.91 recorded in 2022 will be in Monaco to try to challenge experienced sprinters.