Recovering Faith Kipyegon finishes 4th at Monaco Diamond League
By Joel Masibo, July 11, 2026Worry has gripped world champion Faith Faith Kipyegon’s latest performances in elite races, with the latest outing in Monaco Diamond League in France on Friday, July 10, 2026 seeing the 1500m sensation recording one of her worst performances in her career.
Kipyegon, the world 1500m and mile record-holder who achieved her mile mark in Monaco in 2023 struggled at the 2026 event. The multiple global gold medallist was in 3000m action but, continuing her comeback after a hamstring injury following her 5000m win in Shanghai in May, she finished fourth this time in 8:24.21 behind compatriot Agnes Ngetich, Aleshign Baweke in a PB of 8:23.81 and Senayet Getachew in a PB of 8:24.02.
It was a dominant run by Ngetich in her first track race of the year, a year she started by winning the world cross-country title in Tallahassee in January. Ngetich set off right behind the pacemakers in Monaco and followed Olympic silver medallist Jess Hull, who helped to pace Kipyegon to her 8:07.04 3000m in Silesia in August, as she hit 1000m in 2:41.85.
Ngetich took control with three laps to go and passed 2000m in 5:24.08. She slipped off world record pace over the last couple of laps but managed to hold on to become the third-quickest runner in history.
Prefontaine Classic
Recently, Faith Kipyegon registered a rare defeat in her traditional 1500m race at the 2026 Prefontaine Classic, setting up one of the day’s biggest upsets in the women’s mile, where Nikki Hiltz ended the Kenyan’s remarkable dominance on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
Kipyegon had not lost a Diamond League race over the 800m, mile or 1500m since being beaten by Sifan Hassan in Florence five years ago.
As in the 800m, the early pace was exceptionally fast, with pacemaker Taryn Parks leading aggressively through the opening laps. Kipyegon remained patient and controlled for much of the race, but Hiltz launched a decisive finishing sprint in the final straight. Along with Kenya’s Dorcus Ewoi, Hiltz moved past the world record holder before the finish.
Hiltz won in a world-leading 4:17.49, narrowly ahead of Ewoi, who ran 4:17.62. Kipyegon settled for third in 4:17.80. Britain’s Georgia Hunter Bell placed eighth with a personal best of 4:18.52, just behind Sarah Healy (4:18.49), while Laura Muir finished 10th in 4:22.31.