‘My Best Friend!’ - Faith Kipyegon On How Fellow World Record Holder Beatrice Chebet Inspires Her

The 2025 Prefontaine Classic will be remembered not just for the records that fell, but for the unshakable bond between two of Kenya’s finest athletes. 

On an afternoon when history was rewritten, Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet delivered performances that stunned the track and field world — and inspired a generation.

Just moments after Chebet stormed to a groundbreaking 13:58.06 in the 5000m, becoming the first woman in history to break the 14-minute barrier, Kipyegon responded by obliterating her own 1500m world record, clocking a jaw-dropping 3:48.68.

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Their records weren’t just personal triumphs — they were shared victories, built on years of training together in the high-altitude heartland of Eldoret, and a friendship that runs deeper than medals.

Speaking after the race, a visibly emotional Kipyegon opened up about her admiration for Chebet, calling her not just a teammate, but her closest friend and fiercest motivator.

“Beatrice is my best friend. We train together most of the time — in the same area of Eldoret — and I’m so grateful to share this journey with her," said Kipyegon.

“We spoke before the race, and I told her, ‘We have to believe in ourselves. Dare to try — you never know what might happen after the finish line.’”

Chebet’s 13:58 performance shattered the previous world record held by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay and etched her name into history. For Kipyegon, it was both a moment of pride and a source of fuel.

“To be the first woman to run under 14 minutes — that’s historic. I truly congratulate her,” Kipyegon said.

“We push each other, and as women, we have to keep doing that — to show the world that anything is possible.”

Kipyegon, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and now three-time world record holder in the event, hopes that what she and Chebet accomplished on the track goes far beyond the numbers.

“Beatrice inspires me, and I hope I’m inspiring others too,” she said. “Seeing her break 14 minutes pushes me to go even faster, and I hope my own run under 3:49 shows the next generation that limits are meant to be broken.

“ We just have to go out there, believe in ourselves, and give it everything.”

As both athletes prepare for the World Championships in Tokyo, they carry the belief that with unity and hard work, the impossible is only temporary.