Faith Kipyegon Opens Up On How Motherhood Inspired Her To Success

Posted on 23 Oct 2024

Faith Kipyegon has built her irrevocable CV as the best 1500m athlete, male or female, the world has ever seen
Her recent win at the 2024 Paris Olympics helped her rubberstamp her place in track and field's hall of fame
The world record holder is also a mother with her daughter Alyn inspiring her to break even more barriers

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That Faith Kipyegon is one of the best runners ever seen worldwide is no longer news. The Kenyan star has taken to the track gracefully over the years, proving her naysayers wrong by winning multiple medals and breaking records.

She recently won another Olympic title, becoming the first person to win three Olympic gold medals in the 1500m.

She is also a triple world champion in the 1500m, the reigning world champion in the 5000m and the world record holder in the 1500m.

Her CV speaks for itself, really.

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Faith Kipyegon's daughter

But away from all the glamour and cameras shattering at the finishing line and constant questions after she wins another race, Kipyegon is also a mother.

After winning gold medals at the Rio Olympics and London World Championships in 2017, Kipyegon took a break and gave birth to her daughter, Alyn.

Inspiration from Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Much has always been said about female athletes taking a maternity break. There is always fear that they won't hit the same peak levels they had before. But for Kipyegon, she was ready for it, drawing inspiration from the legendary Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

"I got the courage like we still have the energy to win a gold medal after maternity leave and that should be an encouragement to many other athletes. This has shown other runners that it's possible to return from maternity leave and achieve victory," she said on the Olympics website.

After 18 months, she returned to the track but with a different mentality. It dawned on her that she was no longer just running for herself.

"She changed my life and my mentality. I now realize that I have someone who looks up to me as a role model," she told CNN.

Kipyegon's achievements after giving birth

And true to her word, she upped the ante after giving birth. She won a silver medal at the 2019 World Championships before picking up a second gold medal at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics.

Kipyegon then won back-to-back world titles in the 1500m in Eugene and Budapest. The latter saw her also win the 5000m world title. She went to Paris this year and took gold in the 1500m and silver in the 5000m.

2023 was perhaps her best year yet, as she won two world titles and broke three world records in the span of two months.

"I have been improving, not only in athletics but as a parent as well. I know that now I have somebody that I have to work for to come and have a bright future. You have to sacrifice a lot."