Faith Kipyegon breaking the 1500m world record in 2023 didn’t come as a surprise to her father. He knew her love of running, and he only ever encouraged her to keep pushing hard. “Today the world can see the results,” her father, Samuel Kipyegon Koech, told the Daily Nation in June 2023, after Faith Kipyegon became the first woman to break the 3:50 mark (3:49.11) in a 1500m race at the Diamond League meeting in Florence, Italy.

The hard work part Faith Kipyegon didn’t have to struggle with. Rather, her discipline in achieving her goals is well known to the people close to her. That trait has made her an Olympic champion, a world champion, and a world record holder. And she has done it again at the 2025 Tokyo Athletics Championships, adding another gold to her collection. So today, we are taking a look at her background, and how it may have played a role in her athletic journey.

Where is Faith Kipyegon from and what is her nationality?

Born on 10th January 1994, the 1500m World Champion hails from Kenya. She was born into a farming family in the village of Ndabibit, located in the Keringet town of Kuresoi South, Nakuru County. And this origin is quite significant as Keringet is located in the Rift Valley Province, known for producing champion long-distance runners.

In fact, she hails from a sporting family where her father himself was a 400m and 800m runner in his younger days. And Faith Kipyegon’s elder sister, Beatrice Mutai, has been a 10 km and half-marathon specialist, even winning the bronze in the 2023 African Cross Country Championships. Mutai is also Faith’s training partner, making family Kipyegon’s biggest cornerstone in her journey.

The 2025 1500m World Champion is of Kenyan nationality and represents her native country in international tournaments. And the fact that Kenya boasts some big names in the long-distance category makes Kipyegon’s accomplishments even more distinguished.

What is Faith Kipyegon’s ethnicity?

The 2024 Paris Olympics 1500m champion is from the Kalenjin tribe, having a deep connection with Keringet, which means ‘well’ or ‘water point’ in Kalenjin. The village she grew up in was near Keringet, which is located in Nakuru County in the Kenyan Rift Valley. The Kalenjin ethnic group is one of the biggest demographics in Kenya, but more importantly, they are most famous for producing middle-distance and long-distance runners.

For instance, Eliud Kipchoge, like Faith Kipyegon, is also of Kalenjin ethnicity, hailing from Kenya. And he is an iconic marathon runner who, like Kipyegon, is a multiple-time Olympic Champion and a World Champion, too. Her sporting connection that comes with being from the Kalenjin group cannot be denied. But that’s only part of her success story. Her belief in divinity also gives her the strength to be a winner.

What religion does Faith Kipyegon follow?

The Kenyan is Christian by faith, and she has been candid about her following. “I am always going to church. That is important in my life,” she had said previously. In fact, Kipyegon has also credited the divine power for some of her biggest successes on the track. “First I want to thank God this was really special,” Kipyegon said after breaking her own world record in the 1500m race at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting held in Eugene, Oregon, on July 5, 2025.

Just days before the Nike Breaking 4 Challenge in Paris this year, she shared how important God is in her life. “I always pray, before going to bed, before going out for training and before racing because in everything we do, we put God first, before we do anything.” Even her father is a devout believer, and knows hard work and divinity will keep his daughter happy and safe. “There is joy in hard work and there is joy in believing in God. When I sleep in the house I pray to God to continue protecting my daughter.”

Faith Kipyegon’s achievements

• Olympic Gold Medals: 1500m at Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024. She is the only athlete to win 1500m gold at three different Olympic Games. She is also a silver medalist in the 5000m race at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
• World Championships: four-time world champion in 1500m, two-time silver medalist. Also has a gold medal in the 5000m race at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
• Diamond League Finals: Five-time Diamond League final winner in the 1500m race. Also, a mile race winner in 2015.
• World Records: She is the current holder of the 1500m and mile races (as of September 16, 2025). Broke the women’s 1500m world record for the first time in 2023, and also set world records in 5000m and mile within 50 days.
• In the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Faith Kipyegon became the first woman ever to win the 1500m and 5000m double at the international event.