Kipyegon Set to Defend 1500m Title in Eugene

Image: Marta Gorczynska, courtesy of Wanda Diamond League

Kenyan distance running legend Faith Kipyegon is set to continue her title defense in Eugene, competing in the women’s 1500m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting on July 5.

A five-time Diamond League champion, Kipyegon will return to the site of her triumphant 2023 victory when she lines up at the Prefontaine Classic. She has her sights set on a record-equalling sixth title in 2025, further cementing her status as one of the greatest track and field athletes of all time.

With an illustrious career boasting four world championship titles and three Olympic gold medals, Kipyegon has amassed an impressive 27 Diamond League wins. Her dominance in the 1500m began in 2017 when she first claimed the Diamond Trophy, a feat she repeated in 2021 and continued through 2024.

Kipyegon has also etched her name in history by breaking multiple world records at Diamond League events. In 2023, she shattered records in the 1500m, 5000m, and mile at meetings in Florence, Paris, and Monaco. Last season, she surpassed her own 1500m world record in Paris with a stellar time of 3:49.04.

Eugene holds special significance for Kipyegon, as she has won six times at Hayward Field, including her memorable victory at the 2023 Diamond League Final. She enters this year’s competition in exceptional form, having kicked off her Diamond League campaign with an impressive showing in Xiamen.

At the season opener in China, she came tantalizingly close to the 1000m world record, finishing in 2:29.21.

The Wanda Diamond League stands as the premier one-day athletics series, featuring 15 of the world’s most prestigious track and field events. Athletes accumulate points across 14 meetings to secure a place at the grand finale in Zurich, scheduled for August 27-28, 2025.