Tonight, history could be rewritten at the Stade Charléty as Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon attempts what no woman has ever done: running a mile in under four minutes.
This challenge, called Breaking4, echoes the legendary feat of Roger Bannister, who shattered the four-minute barrier for men back in 1954 with a time of 3:59.4. Kipyegon, already a multiple world and Olympic champion, is now chasing her own impossible—taking 7.65 seconds off her current world record of 4:07.64.
Backed by Nike and her management team at Global Sports Communication, the attempt has been meticulously crafted, much like Eliud Kipchoge’s historic sub-two-hour marathon in 2019. The race kicks off at 9:00 pm Kenyan time (8:00 pm in Paris), with global fans able to stream the event on Nike’s YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Douyin, and Prime Video platforms.
In Kenya, fans are rallying behind Kipyegon through the #Kenya4Faith campaign, with Safaricom even offering a special 4GB bundle for 4 shillings to ensure no one misses this moment.
This is not just any track. The Stade Sébastien Charléty is a 20,000-seat stadium with deep ties to athletics. It’s also the very place where Kipyegon broke both the 1,500m and 5,000m world records in 2023. She describes it as having “special energy.”
Before settling on Charléty, Nike’s innovation team analyzed tracks globally, testing how Faith’s foot interacted with surfaces to design footwear perfectly matched to the stadium’s composition.
“It iss about energy return, traction, and the right surface. We even tested the spikes on this exact track,” explained Carrie Dimoff, Nike’s Senior Manager for Innovation Footwear.
Kipyegon will not be running alone. A mix of elite male and female pacemakers will form a tightly orchestrated shield, protecting her from air resistance and ensuring each lap is run in under 60 seconds.
“It’ is like a moving chessboard,” said Brett Kirby, lead researcher at Nike’s Sports Lab. “Every pacer’s position and timing must be perfect.”
While the exact lineup is under wraps, training partners in Paris have included big names like Wycliffe Kinyamal, Halima Nakaayi, Grant Fisher, and Georgia Hunter Bell. And in a show of solidarity, Eliud Kipchoge is in Paris to support his teammate and compatriot.
Everything about this attempt has been timed to perfection. Kipyegon’s arrival in Paris was designed to minimize jet lag, with only a one-hour time difference from Kenya.
“That small shift makes a big difference in her circadian rhythm and peak performance,” says Amy Jones Vaterlaus, VP of Women’s Research at Nike.
Late June was also selected strategically to avoid clashing with the build-up to the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.
Kipyegon will race in a futuristic, feather-light Nike FlySuit and a one-of-one Nike FlyWeb sports bra, both 3D-printed innovations designed for optimal aerodynamics and comfort. The bra and suit were fast-tracked specifically for her.
“It feels like I am wearing nothing—it is that light,” Kipyegon shared.
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Complementing the tech is personal flair: her suit features purple, her favorite color. Stadium décor and her Nike collection are also themed around this empowering hue, with red and green accents to honor her Kenyan roots.
With a hot Paris week peaking at 36°C, overnight showers have thankfully cooled the air—critical for a fast time. Nike’s team had a checklist: no rain, low wind, and moderate temperatures. The weather may not be perfect, but it’s close enough.
For the Nike team and Kipyegon’s inner circle, this isn’t just about numbers—it’s about belief, resilience, and representation.
“Faith isn’t just an athlete—she’s a mother, a leader, a symbol of what’s possible,” said her sports marketing partner Simon Bairu. “Whatever the clock says, that moment belongs to her.”
Will She Break Four?
If all goes to plan—perfect pacing, optimal gear, supportive conditions, and Faith in her best form—tonight could be the night the world sees its first sub-four-minute women’s mile.
And if anyone can do it, it is Faith Kipyegon.