Why Faith Kipyegon is making waves after winning 10km debut
Athletics
By
Stephen Rutto
| Feb 20, 2026
When the history of global athletics is written, three-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon will have a chapter of her own in track running.
Athletics observers say it will not be surprising if one day, her 1500m career will be a lesson in sports science classes at top universities in the world.
At 32 years, she stunningly charged to victory in her 10km road race debut at the Monaco Run in 29:46.
There are also signals, following the 10km triumph, that Kipyegon could be transitioning to long distances, particularly road running and the marathon.
Kenya’s athletics track talents will be in a race to replace the world’s 1500m queen, who has been nicknamed the smiling assassin since 2023 when she stunned the world with record-breaking performances.
If she exits 1500m and 5000m to run road races and the marathon, attention will be on Kenyan women who are currently in the top 50 of the all-time list.
Kipyegon is the fastest in the world, holding the 3:48.68 record, which he reestablished in July last year at the Eugene Diamond League.
But who will fit into her big shoes? The onus is on world 1500m silver medallist Dorcus Ewoi, who sits in the 23rd spot in the all-time list, Nelly Chepchirchir (26), and Susan Ejore (34) to pick the mantle from Kipyegon, if she chooses to rewrite the history books in long distance.
Youngsters such as Caren Jepchirchir, the African Under-18/20 champion, and those joining the elite ranks from school games are joining the race for a place to continue Kenya’s dominance in the women’s 1500m
Interestingly, double Olympic and world champion Beatrice Chebet is the second fastest Kenyan woman in the 1500m, which is not her specialty.
“It’s a matter of learning, to know how the roads work. I normally talk of doing a marathon in the future, so this is the start,” Kipyegon told World Athletics after winning the Sunday 15.
Before the 10km debut, her last successful long-distance race was at the Sirikwa Classic World Cross Country Tour in February 2023, in which she emerged the winner and went ahead to set a world record in the women’s 1500m and 5000m in the Diamond Leagues.
Her training mates at the Kaptagat Global Sports Communication/NN Running camp, among them two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge and multiple world cross country champion Geoffrey Kamworor, successfully transitioned from track to road running.
Kipchoge tested his road running potential 20 years ago, but did not transition immediately to long-distance running.
Even when he placed third in his half-marathon debut in Lille in 2008, Kipchoge did not make a fast switch to the marathon.
It was not until 2013 that he cruised to a powerful win in his debut 42km at the Hamburg Marathon.
When you think of the greatest road runners of all time, it’s hard not to place Eliud Kipchoge at the very top of the list.
Over the course of his career, the Kenyan has been as dominant as it gets on the roads, winning 16 marathons and countless victories over 5K and 10K distances. But one fact many fans might not know is that Kipchoge did not run his first road race until three years into his professional career.
Kipyegon has already made a move, although not as young as Kipchoge in 2005, but the debut has caused waves in the athletics world.
The five-time world champion had last year hinted at joining record holder Beatrice Chebet and others, including Agnes Ngetich, in the 10,000m event. The 10,000m debut is much-awaited.