Three athletes who can stop Faith Kipyegon from writing history at Paris Olympic Games

Three athletes who can stop Faith Kipyegon from writing history at Paris Olympic Games

Abigael Wafula 06:24 - 01.08.2024

The women's 1500m will see more than five women including Gudaf Tsegay, Diribe Welteji, Jessica Hull, and Sifan Hassan out to stop Faith Kipyegon's dominance at the Paris Olympic Games.

World record holder Faith Kipyegon has eyes set on the prize as she looks to win her third Olympic title in the 1500m and hopefully claim her first Olympic title in the 5000m.

Kipyegon has always delivered on the global stage and has raced sparingly this season due to an injury setback. However, in all her three races, she claimed wins, racing the 1500m and 5000m at the Kenyan Olympic trials. She clocked 3:53.98 for 1500m and 14:46.28 for 5000m, racing at the Nyayo National Stadium.

The three-time world 1500m champion then shattered her 1500m world record at the Diamond League Meeting in Paris, clocking 3:49.09 to cross the finish line and she now heads to the Olympic Games with the much-needed confidence.

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However, Kipyegon will face a strong contingent of challengers who will be out to stop her dominance in the 1500m. The only other woman who claimed three consecutive titles at the Olympic Games is Anita Wlodarczyk in the hammer.

Kipyegon has not been beaten in the 1500m since 2021 and she hopes to continue the winning streak to the Olympic Games, a feat everyone thinks she is able to achieve.

However, one athlete, who has always been a threat to Kenyan dominance stands in her way to victory. The 5000m world record holder Gudaf Tsegay will be in the mix in both the 1500m and 5000m and will be out to stop Kipyegon.

Tsegay is in the 1500m form of her life right and she opened her outdoor season with a stunning 3:50.30, the fourth-fastest time in history, at the Diamond League Meeting in Xiamen in April.

Tsegay had plans to attack the 10,000m world record at the Prefontaine Classic but it was Beatrice Chebet who carried the day with the world record.

However, Tsegay clocked a personal best time of 29:05.92 to finish second. She took a break from competing and will return to the track at the Stade de France. Other Ethiopians teaming up with Tsegay will be Birke Haylom and Diribe Welteji.

Great Britain’s Laura Muir will also be looking for her moment of glory at the Paris Olympics after winning silver at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Another athlete in the mix will be Australia’s Jessica Hull fresh from setting a 2000m world record of 5:19.70 at the Diamond League Meeting in Monaco.  Prior to that, Hull finished second at the Diamond League Meeting in Paris, achieving an Oceanian record of 3:50.83.

Dutch woman Sifan Hassan will race in the 5000m and 10,000m, with the hope of winning medals in all two events. She has also entered for the marathon.