Triple Olympic 1,500m gold medallist Faith Kipyegon is set to make her debut in the 10,000m this season and is drawing confidence from cross-country events.After a successful 2024, where she won Olympic gold and her fifth Diamond League title, Kipyegon will surprise many by competing in the 10,000m race, with expectations that she might attempt a world record.##NAJAVA_MECA_8737248##She confirmed her participation in the Saturday 26 April event after the Diamond League shared a video of her record-breaking performances in the 5000m, 1500m, and mile races from last year.In 2024, she missed the Xiamen event due to injury but still ended the year with a Diamond League trophy from the finals in Brussels last September. Kipyegon’s appearance in Xiamen marks the start of her quest for a historic sixth Diamond League title, which would tie her with Sandra Elkasevic as the most successful female athlete in the competition’s history.Posta goalkeeper lauds Gor Mahia coach after recovering from career-threatening injuryIn an interview with SportsBoom, Kipyegon reflected on her outstanding 2024 season, her possible shift to longer races this year, and the pressure of being the defending champion. She broke her own 1,500m record in the Paris Diamond League, finishing at 3:49:04, improving her previous record by 0.07 seconds.At the Paris Olympics, Kipyegon made history by winning her third 1,500m Olympic title and securing silver in the 5,000m. She continued her fine form, winning in the Rome Diamond League and setting a new record in Brussels to claim her fifth Diamond League trophy.”My 2024 season was amazing. Winning a third Olympic medal and a silver in the 5000m was a huge achievement. I faced some challenges, but I overcame them. Now, I’m excited about what this new season will bring,” said the 31-year-old.Blow to AFC Leopards, Gor Mahia as Mashemeji Derby postponed once againBefore her stellar 2024 season, Kipyegon had a remarkable 2023, breaking three world records in just under 50 days. That year, she started her season with a win at the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country.Switch to 10,000m?Kipyegon emphasized the importance of cross-country events in building her endurance, which helped balance both speed and stamina. She debuted in the 5,000m at the World Championships in Budapest, winning gold in 14:53.88, and defended her 1,500m title with a time of 3:54.87.She is now slowly transitioning to the 10,000m event, though she admits it is not easy balancing both the 1,500m and 5,000m races.Aldrine Kibet opens up on Rising Stars’ World Cup chances”It’s tough running 1,500m, 5,000m, and then moving to 10,000m. But cross-country races help me build endurance for these distances. This might be the year I finally switch to 10k,” she said.Tribute to Agnes TiropAs the interview concluded, Kipyegon paid tribute to the late Agnes Tirop, a talented cross-country runner who was murdered in 2021. Tirop was a two-time World Cross Country Championships medallist, and her death was a great loss to the sport.”Agnes was an exceptional runner, and her memory lives on. Every time we race in cross country, we pay tribute to her. Tirop’s Angels continues her legacy, and she will always be in our hearts,” Kipyegon said.Kipyegon had to drop out in the final lap of the Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country event, as she was unable to finish the race.OPINION: With former footballers at FKF’s helm failure has no excuse
