“I dared to try.” Faith Kipyegon posted on X on June 26. On Thursday night at the Charlety Stadium in Paris, she set out to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes. To do that, she had to keep pace with a stream of green Wavelight pacing lights circling the inside of the track at the target speed. For the first two laps, she matched them stride for stride. By the end of the third lap, she had slipped slightly behind—but the gap was still manageable heading into the final lap. The final results did not land in her favor. However, Faith’s effort sparked a reaction that many did not expect…

Well, Faith gave it her all, but she fell short of conquering the Breaking4 challenge. She crossed the finish line in 4:06.42—six seconds shy of the sub-four-minute goal, yet over a second faster than her official world-record time of 4:07.64. Despite the impressive effort, the result won’t be recognized as a new women’s record due to the exhibition nature of the race and the use of male pacemakers. Still, it was a stunning display that didn’t go unnoticed by the track and field community.

Fans on Reddit were quick to celebrate Faith Kipyegon’s remarkable effort. One admirer commented, “She is absolutely a class act. Love the smiles and appreciation for her pacers afterward, and her interview with Ego has the best vibe.” The fan applauded the 31-year-old for nearly every aspect of her performance. For Faith, the goal wasn’t just to win—it was about making a statement. And she made that clear in her tweet. There, she wrote, “#Breaking4 was about showing the world that we have to push ourselves. This one was for all the young girls and women out there to show that you have to believe in yourself in everything you do.” The fan’s praise reflected that both Faith and Nike hit the mark. And credit is due to Nike, too—their effort behind the scenes played a major role in this bold attempt.

Nike employed three main strategies to support Faith in her pursuit of the historic milestone. These included cutting-edge racing spikes, a futuristic aerodynamic suit, and a formation of pacers strategically positioned to shield her from the wind. Backed by extensive research, every detail was meticulously planned. In the end, 13 elite pacemakers were selected to guide the attempt. To top it off, marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge stood at the finish line, offering encouragement to his fellow Kenyan. Faith delivered her message loud and clear—and now, it’s the fans’ turn to respond.

Fans term Faith Kipyegon’s race as fun to watch 

“That was cool and fun to watch. She is a stud!” one fan wrote on X—and that pretty much sums up the energy surrounding Faith Kipyegon’s daring attempt at the first-ever sub-four-minute mile by a woman. At 31, Faith threw herself into a mission that many would shy away from. She didn’t cross the line under four minutes, but she didn’t look defeated—far from it. With her trademark grace and grit, she told the world: “Absolutely, there will be a woman running a mile in under four minutes.” And she even gave a timeline: “And I think it will take less than 10 years. And if it doesn’t come my way, it will be someone else doing it.” That kind of humility and vision resonated deeply with fans. One wrote: “Even though she didn’t make it under 4 minutes, this is a building block for the next woman who will break it. The fact she even attempted it is inspirational.” 

Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge, who stood at the finish line to support her, shared his thoughts as well: “I am proud to witness her journey and seeing her inspire so many around the world. I for one can say moonshots don’t always succeed on a first try, but the first try is the most crucial one for us all.” Another fan broke down the race itself: “I applaud the effort. Very cool by Nike to do unique events like this, and it was well setup. Faith was basically on through three laps, but that last 200 was very rough. We’ll see a woman break 4:00 within the next decade or two, I’m sure of that. Great job, Faith!” Well, Faith echoed that reflection in her post-race interview. 

The athlete admitted the final 200 meters were grueling—after hearing the bell at 3:01, she knew it would take everything. And yet, she said she wouldn’t change a thing about the experience. “This whole race made me cry in awe. Something about her being surrounded by a pacing army shielding her from the wind and encouraging her along the way. And at the end they all stepped aside to cheer her on. She is so brave.” Brave indeed. Faith Kipyegon may not have broken the clock, but she broke barriers, inspired millions, and brought the world one step closer to an impossible dream.