In 2023, Kenyan runner Faith Kipyegon etched her name in the annals of track and field history with a series of remarkable achievements. The 29-year-old shattered world records in the 1500m, one mile, and 5,000m, emerging as the unrivaled queen of the track.

Reflecting on her extraordinary year, Kipyegon shared with BBC Sport Africa, “I wrote in my diary that 2023 will be a special year and it came true.” Beyond her record-breaking feats, she clinched two World Championship gold medals and secured her fourth Diamond League trophy, fueled by a newfound self-belief.

Kipyegon attributed her success to a profound shift in self-confidence, stating, “I believed in myself more than I believed in myself years back, that is what changed.”

While her 5,000m record was surpassed by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay in September, Kipyegon’s June achievement in Florence holds special significance. Breaking the 1500m world record with a time of three minutes and 49.11 seconds, she became the first woman to complete the middle-distance event in under three minutes and 50 seconds.

Expressing her satisfaction, Kipyegon said, “I’ve been working hard to achieve, especially the 1500m world record, which was missing from my trophies because I have all the medals from World Championships and Olympics.”

Highlighting the emotional pinnacle of her triumph, Kipyegon recalled the unprecedented celebration on the track, where fellow competitors joined her in revelry. “For the other competitors to come and celebrate with me was the most emotional moment for me because I think I was the first to be celebrated on the track like that. It has never happened in athletics.” Faith Kipyegon’s journey in 2023 not only reshaped records but also left an indelible mark on the spirit of athletic camaraderie