Faith Kipyegon's Historic Mile Attempt: The Revolutionary 3D-Printed Bra

Tonight, Faith Kipyegon will attempt to make history. She is supported by world-class pacemakers and a much-discussed 3D-printed bra.

"Oh, I didn't know about that at all," says Swedish national team runner Yolanda Ngarambe.

31-year-old Faith Kipyegon is already one of the greatest middle-distance runners of all time. The Kenyan has three consecutive Olympic golds in the 1500 meters and holds the world record in the event.

But tonight, she will attempt to break a barrier many thought impossible. At a special event in Paris, she will try to become the first woman in history to run a mile (1609 meters) in under four minutes. Kipyegon holds the world record for the distance at 4:07.64, so it will require something extraordinary to achieve this.

Tonight's race is extraordinary.

Just as when Eliud Kipchoge ran a marathon in under two hours in Vienna in 2019, the organizers are doing everything to give Kipyegon a chance.

She will have pacemakers of absolute world-class, but most importantly, she will wear a specially designed suit that Nike claims is the most aerodynamic in history.

She will wear super-light shoes, a streamlined suit with long sleeves, and a headband to reduce air resistance.

Swedish Surprise – Over the Detail on the Suit

However, the most talked-about aspect beforehand is her bra. Nike has developed a specially made 3D-printed bra that has become widely discussed. The New York Times even wrote an article titled: "Can This Woman's Bra Help Her Make History?"

According to Nike, it is as close-fitting as possible, like the rest of the suit, and is designed to transport moisture in an unprecedented way.

Yolanda Ngarambe, a long-time Swedish national team runner, laughs when she hears about Kipyegon's suit – especially the bra.

"Oh, I didn't know about that at all. I wasn't aware of that detail. Interesting."

Can it make a difference?

"Maybe it can, I don't know. But it's cool that Nike is finally testing something to help women. That they think of everything to make us perform better."

Ngarambe believes it may be difficult for Kipyegon to break four minutes, but adds that if anyone can do it, it's her.

"She's doing something completely crazy – and I think it's inspiring. It makes you change your mindset and feel that things are possible."

Ngarambe is currently competing in the European Team Championships in Madrid. Ngarambe competes in the 800 meters, and the competitions take place from Thursday to Sunday and are broadcast on SVT.

Kipyegon's race kicks off at eight o'clock tonight.