Faith Kipyegon will attempt to become the first woman in history to run a mile in under four minutes later this month in Paris, in a Nike-backed exhibition set to stream live and feature in a new Amazon Prime Video documentary series.
The 30-year-old Kenyan, already the world record holder in the women’s mile and a three-time Olympic gold medalist, will take on the barrier on June 26 at Stade Sébastien Charléty, the same track where she broke both the 1,500m and 5,000m world records in 2023. Her current mile best is 4:07.64, set in Monaco last July.
The project, titled Breaking4: Faith Kipyegon vs. The 4-Minute Mile, is being produced by Box-to-Box Films, the company behind Drive to Survive and SPRINT.
According to Nike and Amazon, the two-part docuseries will offer “unprecedented access” to Kipyegon’s training and background in Kenya. Part I premieres June 20 on Prime Video, with Part II arriving in July after the race.
The event itself will be streamed live on both Prime Video and Nike’s YouTube channel at 1 p.m. ET on race day.
The attempt is not eligible for world record ratification due to the event’s unsanctioned format and likely use of rotating pacers, similar to Eliud Kipchoge’s 2017 and 2019 sub-two-hour marathon projects.
In a Nike press release, Kipyegon said the idea to chase the mark came from wanting a new challenge after winning multiple global titles.
“I’m a three-time Olympic champion. I’ve achieved World Championship titles. I thought, what else?” she said. “Why not dream outside the box?”
Not an Official Record, But a Real Barrier
While the four-minute barrier is well-established in the men’s mile, first broken by Roger Bannister in 1954, it has never seriously been approached in the women’s event. Only a few women in history have run under 4:15, and no one has come closer than Kipyegon.
Experts say the combination of her personal best, recent dominance, and the controlled setup of the event makes this the most realistic shot yet at breaking the barrier.
Dr. Andrew Jones, a sports physiologist involved in Kipchoge’s sub-two project, spoke directly on the Marathon Handbook Podcast:
Still, the gap between 4:07 and 3:59 remains significant, even with pace assistance and ideal weather. If successful, the performance would not be an official world record under World Athletics rules, but would likely draw global attention for its symbolic weight.
Box-to-Box Films says the documentary will focus not just on the race, but on the cultural meaning of the attempt, particularly for East African runners and female athletes. It’s directed by Suemay Oram and executive produced by James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin.
Whether or not she breaks four, the attempt marks a rare, high-profile standalone effort in middle-distance running—and a reminder that the mile still holds real symbolic weight.
