The 29-year-old set a new world record on Friday night after clocking 3:49:11 at the Florence Diamond League in Italy. The previous record of 3:50:07 had been set by Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba in 2015.
“This is amazing. I dedicate this world record to all mothers and knowing that everything is possible. I told them already, going on maternity leave and coming back, you will be stronger than before. And this is what I’ve shown them, that everything is possible,” Kipyegon said after the race.
Kipyegon gave birth in 2018 after nursing anxiety about her athletics career and a desire to start her own family. She told Runner’s World that the two sides of her life weighed heavily on her because she feared losing out on financial and competitive opportunities in her career.
“I was so afraid. Maybe I would not come back, I would just disappear. Every lady, their mind goes like that. But I was very strong-minded. I said ‘Let me do this.’ It’s the joy of every human being to start a family” she said.
She went on to tell RW that she was happy when the doctors confirmed her pregnancy but later went on to have a stressful delivery because her baby was in breach and she had to undergo a cesarean section surgery. She gave birth to a daughter whom she named Alyn.
“Beginning in 2017, I had a new goal of becoming a mother. I was mentally prepared to take the break knowing that I could only come back stronger. It was hard, and my body was different. But my new purpose is Alyn, and the strength she gives me mentally has helped me overcome all of the challenges,” Kipyegon said in a pinned social media post dedicated to her daughter.
“I want to motivate her to be what she wants to be in life. She wants to be a champion like her mother, and I wish her to follow her heart, and go beyond my footsteps,” she said.
After her maternity leave Kipyegon made a comeback a year later. Kipyegon is a double Olympic champion (Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020) and also a double world champion (2017 and 2022).
