Faith Kipyegon opens up on how fans pile pressure on her and Eliud Kipchoge

ATHLETICS Faith Kipyegon opens up on how fans pile pressure on her and Eliud Kipchoge

Abigael Wafula 07:04 - 03.11.2023

Faith Kipyegon has shared the pressure fans put on her and Eliud Kipchoge to win all races, which is impossible.

Double world champion Faith Kipyegon has come out to share the pressure she feels from her fans before a race.

The 29-year-old explained that people always expect her and former world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge to win every race, something that is not possible.

Speaking on TV 47, she explained that the sport is very uncertain and she does not have the ability to keep winning every race. She also noted that if she won every race, then the sport would not be interesting and it would be very predictable.

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“Absolutely there is a lot of pressure to win every race…at the moment, I’m sure when I go to a race, everyone always expects me to win.

"Even when Eliud Kipchoge is going to race, everyone always expects him to win. However, you know this is a sport and you can’t win every time. Sometimes you win, sometimes someone else wins.

"All in all, you have to be happy and be yourself, and believe that tomorrow will be better. We keep on changing…if a person keeps winning every time, the sport becomes boring,” Kipyegon said.

Meanwhile, she only lost once in the 2023 season, where she finished second over the road mile at the World Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia.

She was unbeaten in the 1500m and 5000m and basked in glory during the just concluded season, setting three world records, starting off her record-breaking spree at the Diamond League Meeting in Florence, Italy where she broke the 1500m world record.

She then proceeded to the Meeting in Paris, France where she shattered the 5000m world record and later went ahead to break the mile world record in Monaco.

She also bagged double gold, in the 1500m and 5000m at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.