Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon wins fourth world 1500m gold
Faith Kipyegon arrived at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo as the undisputed queen of middle-distance running, and on Tuesday her star rose higher with another gold.
The Kenyan great captured her fourth World Championship gold in the women’s 1500m, winning in 3:52.15 ahead of her compatriot Dorcus Ewoi (3:54.92), who found a final late surge to win silver. Australia’s Jessica Hull (3:55.16) finished third.
Kipyegon returned to Tokyo’s National Stadium, where she won the second of three Olympic golds, surged to the front from the outset, setting a steady pace that immediately strung out the field as Hull stayed close in second.
By the bell, she had begun to turn the screw, and with 200 metres remaining, there was little doubt over where the gold was heading.
Behind her, an interesting three-way tussle for the remaining podium places was taking shape with Hull, Ewoi, and another Kenyan, Nelly Chepchirchir, all in contention.
Ewoi ultimately seized the silver after a monumental effort to take down her Australian rival, who only edged out Chepchirchir by nine micro-seconds.
Victory for Kipyegon adds to her previous world titles from 2017 (London), 2022 (Eugene), and 2023 (Budapest).
Her next task is to defend her 5,000m title and complete the double she achieved at the previous edition in Budapest. To do so, she will need to overcome her fellow Kenyan and friend, Beatrice Chebet, who has her sights on the middle-distance double with the 10,000m gold already in the bag.
