The truth is: the women’s mile has never lived in the same space of potential as the men’s. It lives in the space of proof.
Men are celebrated for what they might become. Women are often only recognized once they’ve already become it.
When a boy breaks 4 minutes in high school, he becomes a future star. That performance unlocks scholarships, sponsorships, belief, not just from others, but from within himself. For women, there is no single performance, no culturally agreed-upon time that grants the same kind of access or early validation.
On Thursday night in Paris, I watched one of the greatest athletes of all time chase a number that has never carried the same weight for women, and I felt the full weight of that absence. The mile, so rich in myth for men, has never made space for women in the same way. But what Faith Kipyegon gave us that night was a crack in that tradition. An opening.
4:06.42 was the number on the clock. Not sub-4. But maybe something just as meaningful. A moment that invited us to imagine new standards, and new stories.
There’s really nothing scarier than saying what you want out loud in front of the world, but Faith did it anyway. She declared her intent. She stood at the start line and said: This matters. I want this.
That kind of public want, that hunger, that ambition, is powerful. And vulnerable. Especially in a sport, and in a world, that hasn’t always known what to do with women’s goals unless they arrive quietly, wrapped in results.
Here’s what I saw this week, and what has stayed with me.
June 26th at the Stade Sebastien Charlety geeking out that the clouds decided to match the vibes
At the start line. Some of the worlds best athletes in their own right came together to pace Faith. It takes a lot to improve a little.
After the race, Nike’s Vice President of Global Sports Marketing, Tanya Hvizdak, sat down with Faith Kipyegon. Faith’s audacious goal was its own form of leadership. The kind that inspires both ends of the sport: the people making the decisions, and the people out there competing.
We also got the chance to meet the team who obsessed over every detail of Faith’s footwear and apparel. The sports bra? Insane. Read more about the tech, and the woman behind its design, here.
Faith will make you believe that chasing something bold can shift everything: the system, the stories, even the standards. If you haven’t watched the race yet, do yourself a favor and watch it. Seriously.