Paris, France — E be like say Faith Kipyegon don show us say running mile under four minutes dey possible, but she no gree enter the history books just yet.
On Thursday, Kipyegon, wey be three-time Olympic champion, run am for 4 minutes 06.42 seconds. Na the fastest time wey any woman don ever achieve for mile distance, but e no fit count as official record because she get plenty pacemakers wey help am, plus her Nike-enabled gear dey too technologically advanced.
Before dis race, Kipyegon don break world record for women’s mile with 4:07.64 back for July 2023, but for dis attempt, she need to chop off more than 7 seconds to break that elusive four-minute barrier (talk about pressure!). She run with 13 pacemakers, some men and women wey dey help her maintain the pace while she chase the Wavelights wey dey guide her on track.
As she enter the last lap (the part wey dey usually make all athletes dey fear), her hope begin fade but she still push hard to cross finish line. Na so her training partner, Eliud Kipchoge, wey don also set marathon record, hold the tape as she collapse after the race (nobody gree fit stand after such effort!).
Kipyegon say, “I don prove say e dey possible. E go just be matter of time. If no be me, e go be another person” (Na so paddy mentality dey work!). She also send message to her daughter and young girls wey dey watch: “We no get limit. Wetin dey limit us na our thoughts. We fit try everything and show say we strong.”
More than 70 years don pass since Roger Bannister first break that four-minute barrier for men wey be like dream come true as at then. Since then, wey women don dey pursue their own version of history, Kipyegon don make plenty noise, but e fit still take time for dem to break the same barrier.
Her coach, Patrick Sang, no go sit down, he dey push Kipyegon to go for the gold. Na true, she don show say she dey capable, but the limit dey there, just like magic wey need special touch. She dey run with new high-tech spikes wey dey help am reduce drag (Naija no dey carry last for fashion and technology!).
As e be now, Kipyegon na the fastest woman for mile history but still dey eye her ultimate goal wey be that four minutes. She don challenge make everybody no lose hope. “I go still dey try, and I hope I go get am one day” she add, as crowd dey cheer her.
So, make we dey watch her step, maybe next time she go do am. Na hustle wey e go take. From the palaces to the streets, one step at a time, e fit still happen. Na Naija mindset we go use for this kind grind!
