Faith Kipyegon Runs Second-Fastest 3000m Time In History In Silesia

Kenya’s athletics star Faith Kipyegon delivered another spectacular performance on Saturday evening, clocking the second-fastest 3000m time in history at the Diamond League meeting in Silesia, Poland.

Kipyegon stopped the clock at 8:07.04, narrowly missing the world record of 8:06.11 set by China’s Junxia Wang in 1993. Despite falling short of her target to break the record, Kipyegon impressed the global athletics world with a dominant run that left her rivals far behind.

Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw finished second in 8:34.53, while Aleshign Baweke (also Ethiopian) came in third with the same time.

Kipyegon’s performance is now the closest anyone has come to the long-standing world record, except fellow Kenyan Beatrice Chebet, who ran 8:11.56 during the Diamond League in Rabat — a time that had made Chebet the second-fastest woman ever over the distance until Saturday.

Kipyegon stuck close to the pace setters from the start, passing the 400m and 800m marks comfortably ahead. Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka briefly followed in second place as America’s Karissa Schweizer and Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw tried to keep up.

As the race progressed past the 2000m mark, Kipyegon surged ahead, opening a large gap from the rest of the field. From that point, it became a solo chase for the record, which she ultimately missed by less than a second.

Kipyegon, already a world and Olympic champion over 1500m and 5000m, now adds another near-historic mark to her collection in the 3000m.

This was Kipyegon’s latest race in a strong 2025 season. She began her season with the Sirikwa Classic Cross Country event before running 2:29.21 in the 1000m at the Xiamen Diamond League.

She also attempted to become the first woman to run a mile under four minutes as part of Nike’s Breaking4 project in Paris, clocking 4:06.42.

Speaking after that attempt, Kipyegon said: “I have proven it is possible; it’s only a matter of time. If it’s not me, it will be someone else. I won’t lose hope.”