There’s been a lot of talk about women and space recently, with celebs including pop star Katy Perry and Gayle King (you know, Oprah’s gal pal) blasting off to space for 10 minutes on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket.
Well, there’s another moonshot in the making!
And in my opinion a better one — one deserving of more attention and accolades!
It’s one that’s sure to inspire a generation of women and girls to achieve the seemingly impossible — monumental efforts and goals they thought were once out of reach.
Long-time Nike runner and Olympic champion — and mumma to 6-year-old Alyn — Faith Kipyegon will attempt to become the first woman in history to break the 4-minute mile (1.61km).
Dubbed ‘Breaking4’ — a nod to Eliud Kipchoge’s iconic Breaking2 project with Nike to break the 2-hour marathon barrier — this latest attempt, also backed by Nike, is set to take place on 26 June at Stade Charléty in Paris.
“I want this attempt to say to women, ‘You can dream and make your dreams valid.’ This is the way to go as women, to push boundaries and dream big.”
Faith Kipyegon
The three-time Olympic champion holds the world records for both the 1500 metres and the mile — clocking a blistering 4:07.64 in the mile in 2023.
To break her current record, Kipyegon will have to shave at least 7.65 seconds off her current time — that’s basically running each of her 4 laps around the track an average of nearly 2 seconds faster!
That’s incredible! I, for one, cannot wait to see this!
As any runner knows, this is a monumental feat — but according to a statement released by Nike, Kipyegon is more than ready and motivated by the challenge ahead — her moonshot!
And for her, it’s about more than just breaking records.
The pursuit is a powerful symbol of courage, ambition, and freedom — inviting athletes of all backgrounds and abilities to chase their dreams, no matter how bold.
Kipyegon’s moonshot reminds future generations that true courage lies not just in achieving the goal, but in daring to go after it.
She hopes this attempt will inspire the next generation of athletes to see possibility in pushing both personal and societal boundaries.
Among those she hopes to inspire is her daughter — her greatest motivation — who will be waiting at the finish line, symbolising the powerful duality of Kipyegon’s journey as both an elite athlete and a devoted mother.
“I’m a three-time Olympic champion. I’ve achieved World Championship titles. I thought, What else? Why not dream outside the box? And I told myself, ‘If you believe in yourself, and your team believes in you, you can do it.’”
Faith Kipyegon
As a girl mumma, a runner and someone who really believes in going after your goals and dreams — no matter how lofty and out of reach the may seem — this is so exciting!
It’s exciting because in a world that often celebrates appearance and glam over substance and achievement, and that seemingly hands out opportunities to the already-privileged (*cough* space tourism!), this moment is about REAL achievement.
And that’s the kind of legacy I want to pass onto my daughter!
Dream big, baby girl, and shoot for the moon! With hard work, determination, belief and perseverance, there’s no limit what you can achieve.
xo G.
editor, journalist, digital content creator with a background in nutrition & dietetics.
Leave a Reply