Hello

Your subscription is almost coming to an end. Don’t miss out on the great content on Nation.Africa

Ready to continue your informative journey with us?

Hello

Your premium access has ended, but the best of Nation.Africa is still within reach. Renew now to unlock exclusive stories and in-depth features.

Reclaim your full access. Click below to renew.

Gold at last! Peerless Faith Kipyegon reclaims world 1500m title

 Faith Kipyegon

Gold medalist Faith Kipyegon of Team Kenya celebrates after competing in the Women's 1500m Final on day four of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 18, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon.

Photo credit: Ezra Shaw | AFP

What you need to know:

  • Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia claimed silver in 3:54.52, with Britain's Laura Muir taking bronze (3:55.28).

Two-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya won her second 1500m title at the World Athletics Championship on Tuesday to hand the country its first gold at the competition.

Faith Kipyegon

Kenya's Faith Kipyegon competes in the women's 1500m final during the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on July 18, 2022.
 

Photo credit: Jewel Samad | AFP
Faith Kipyegon

Faith Kipyegon of Team Kenya cross the line to win the Women's 1500m Final on day four of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 18, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon.


Photo credit: Patrick Smith | AFP

Kipyegon, who previously won world gold over the distance in 2017 along with two silvers from 2015 and 2019, dominated the race from start to finish, clocking a winning time of 3min 52.96sec.

"I am so glad to have reclaimed the title today because I really had to work hard for it. The competition was tight, but i had prepared well for the battle," Kipyegon said after her win.

She lost the world title to Dutch Sifan Hassan during the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships.

She has since then only lost once to Hassan at the Diamond League meeting in Florence last year.

Faith Kipyegon

Ethiopia's Hirut Meshesha (left), Kenya's Faith Kipyegon (centre) and Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay compete in the women's 1500m final during the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon on July 18, 2022.
 

Photo credit: Jewel Samad | AFP

Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia claimed silver in 3:54.52, with Britain's Laura Muir taking bronze (3:55.28).

 Faith Kipyegon

Gold medalist Faith Kipyegon of Team Kenya celebrates after competing in the Women's 1500m Final on day four of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 18, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. 

Photo credit: Patrick Smith | AFP
Faith Kipyegon

Faith Kipyegon of Team Kenya reacts after competing in the Women's 1500m Final on day four of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 18, 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. 

Photo credit: Andy Lyons | AFP

African Champion Winny Chebet settled for 13th position after clocking 4:15.13.

Kipyegon started her season with a second place finish in the 3,000m during the Doha Diamond League series where she said that she was using the event for build up and endurance.

Victory in Oregon made it a fourth global outdoor championships gold.

She is the only Kenyan woman to have won the world title in the metric mile race and the second Kenyan to have won the Olympic title besides Jebet Lagat in 2008 Beijing.