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Faith Kipyegon makes history with fourth world title
Gold medallist Kenya's Faith Kipyegon celebrates with her national flag after winning the Women's 1500m Final with silver medallist Kenya's Dorcus Ewoi and Kenya's Nelly Chepchirchir at Japan National Stadium, Tokyo on September 16, 2025.
Multiple Olympics and world 1,500 metres champion Faith Kipyegon has taken a big step towards achieving athletics immortality by winning a fourth world title on Tuesday at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
On Tuesday, Kipyegon clocked 3 minutes, 52.15 seconds to lead Dorcas Ewoi to a 1-2 finish for Kenya in Tokyo. Ewoi finished in 3:52.92, followed by Jessica Hull from Australia in 3:55.15. Another Kenyan Nelly Chepchirchir finished fourth in 3:55.25.
Kipyegon’s latest victory comes in the wake of success in 2017 World Athletics Championships in London, as well as in 2022 and 2023 editions of the championship held in Oregon and Budapest respectively.
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon celebrates with her gold medal and a Kenya flag after winning the World Athletics Championships women's 1500m final at Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan on September 16, 2025.
The Kenyan star, who improved her own world record of 3:49.04 she had set at the Paris Diamond League on July 7 last year to 3:48.68 in July at Prefontaine Classic Diamond league Meeting in Oregon, also holds three Olympic titles. She went into yesterday’s race as the only woman to have won three Olympics 1,500m titles, having triumphed in 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, and at the 2024 Games in Paris. Kipyegon’s also holds the world 5,000m title.
Yesterday, she spoke of her immense joy in winning a fourth world title.
“I thank God for enabling me to win a fourth title in 1,500m here. Crossing the finish line to see that I had won it is really a special moment for me,” Kipyegon, 31, said.
Kipyegon, who won her third Olympics title in Tokyo in the delayed 2020 Games held in 2021 behind closed doors, was happy to see a capacity crowd at Tokyo National Stadium on her return to the Japanese capital city.
“Last time I competed here, there were no crowds. It was exciting to see the stadium full of fans, it was a good atmosphere,” she said. The athlete also paid tribute to her team mate Ewoi, saying it warmed her heart to see the US-based runner sharing the podium with her.
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon celebrates after winning Women's 1500m gold with fourth placed Kenya's Nelly Chepchirchir during World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 at Japan National Stadium, Tokyo on September 16, 2025.
“To see my team mate on the podium feels special. The three of us were capable of doing magic because anything is possible in a championship,” she added.
On Friday, Kipyegon will take the first step towards winning a second gold medal in Tokyo when she competes in the semi-final heats of women’s 5,000m race. She will come up against freshly-minted world 10,000m champion Beatrice Chebet who is also the Olympics champion in the distance.
