Kenya’s illustrious record holder in multiple track events, Faith Kipyegon, has a unique ritual before hitting the starting line at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Budapest on August 19th.
The enchanting melody of Colombian artist Shakira’s song “Try Everything” will be her pre-race anthem, resonating deeply with the challenges that lie ahead.
For Kipyegon, a double Olympic and world champion in the 1,500 meters, this song perfectly captures the essence of her upcoming tasks. Not only is she set to defend her 1,500m title, but she’s also aiming for top honors in the 5,000 meters category.
This championship marks a significant moment as Kipyegon, holder of world records in 1,500m, 5,000m, and the mile, will be competing in multiple events at a major competition for the first time in her career.
Shakira’s Song: A Source of Hope and Energy for Kipyegon
In an intimate reflection, Kipyegon revealed that Shakira’s song give her hope and energy.
“I just love listening to that song by Shakira since I draw a lot from it since one must try something out no matter how you fall short,” said Kipyegon, as she hums some of the lines:
“Birds don’t just fly, they fall down and get up; Nobody learns without getting’ it wrong; I won’t give up, no, I won’t give in; Till I reach the end, and then I’ll start again. No, I won’t leave, I wanna try everything; I wanna try even though I could fail…”
“Look how far you’ve come, you filled your heart with love; Baby, you’ve done enough, take a deep breath; Don’t beat yourself up, no need to run so fast; Sometimes we come last, but we did our best.”
Kipyegon said her target would be to first defend her world 1,500m title for a three-peat after her previous wins in 2017 London and 2022 Oregon before attempting the enchanted waters in the 5,000m.
The 1,500m heats will be held at 1.25 pm on Saturday, followed by the semi-finals at 5.05 pm on August 20, while the final will be staged on Tuesday, August 22.
She said that she would be the person to beat in both races, especially after her world record exploits within a short period.“That calls for me to work extra hard. I believe I have done my best in training under my coach in Kaptagat,” explained Kipyegon.
