Double Olympic and World 1,500m champion Faith Kipyegon missed out on setting a new World Record by just 0.3 seconds on Wednesday night.
The current 1,500m women's record belongs to Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba, who on July 17, 2015 in Monaco broke the record, which had previously been considered near-unbreakable, in a time of 3:50:07.
Kipyegon, fresh from becoming a World Champion in Eugene, Oregon travelled to the same location Dibaba broke the record, hoping she would achieve the same.
Lining up at the starting grid of the Monaco Diamond League, their was anticipation in the air. From the get-go, it indeed was all about the 28-year-old.
Guided by two pacemakers, Tracey Adelle from Jamaica as well as Allie Wilson from the USA, Kipyegon looked comfortable, destined for an historic feat at a packed Stade Louis II.
Guided by the wavelight technology running on the side of the track, the 2016 Rio Olympic and 2020 Tokyo Olympic champion exerted all her energy but it wasn't enough to beat the clock.
A visibly exhausted Kipyegon, slumped to the track immediately she crossed the finish line to the dismay of the fans.
Crossing the finish line in 3:50.37, Kipyegon set a new personal best, a National Record as well as set the second fastest time in history.
“I did my best to lower my personal best, I also wanted to break the world record, but that will be for another time! It was the best place to do it, so I'm a little disappointed, but that's the way it is,“ said the 2017 and 2022 World Champion.
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