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The three-time world champion opted to run from the front from start to finish and it worked wonders as she left her competitors fighting for second and third place
Three-time world 1,500m champion Faith Kipeygon says he tactic was to go to the front and stick there as she claimed yet another gold medal with a dominant victory at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Tuesday.
Kipyegon was already one of the all-time greats at the distance, having won Olympic gold in 2016 and 2021, along with world gold in 2017 and 2022.
This season she has shown that she can break records as well as win medals, having broken world records for the 1500m, mile and 5000m, all of which simply strengthened her status as the overwhelming favourite for the title.
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10:00 - 23.08.2023
ATHLETICS The millions Faith Kipyegon earned from winning Kenya’s first gold medal in Budapest
The three-time world 1,500m champion boosted her bank balance by tens of millions on Tuesday following her victory at the 2023 World Athletics Championships
But even the biggest of favourites can sometimes be beaten, especially in a final of this quality, as it contained multiple world and Olympic gold medallist Sifan Hassan, Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir and rising Ethiopian talents Diribe Welteji and Birke Haylom.
It’s little wonder, then, that Kipyegon didn’t want to take any chances. In stark contrast to the racing style of her arch-rival Hassan, who usually stays at the back of the pack, Kipyegon controlled the race from the front, a tactic that worked as she took off in the final 200m to leave her rivals fighting for second and third place.
“This is a great season for me: breaking world records and becoming a world champion here, defending my title,” said Kipyegon, as per World athletics. “I told myself, 'You are the strongest, just keep going'.
“Today I was chasing this title and I was chasing history,” added Kipyegon, who became the first woman to win three world 1,500m titles.
“My plan was to get to the front and to go faster because I know these races can be up and down. I just got myself in front after 300m and nobody came.”
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22:45 - 22.08.2023
ATHLETICS Faith Kipyegon wins Kenya's first Gold in Budapest
She led the race from gun to tape, leaving no doubt as to who was the boss!
There is no time to rest for Kipeygon who will be in action again on Wednesday for the 5,000m heats.
If she makes the final, she will line up on Saturday with a chance to write further history by winning a second gold in Budapest.
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