This archive report was first published on 7 May 2020.
On August 17, 2016, Faith Chepngetich Kipyegon celebrated with her gold medal during the podium ceremony for the women's 1500m of the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
After returning from maternity leave in 2019, Faith wanted to blossom in the 2020 season by dominating the Diamond League and staging a strong performance to defend her Olympic crown in Tokyo. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has halted sports globally, forcing Faith to retreat back to be with her family.
"I was doing very well in training in Eldoret, but that has been destroyed by the pandemic which has halted sports globally. Though even that will not wear me out," Faith said from Eldoret.
Despite the challenges, Faith remains hopeful that sports competitions will resume soon. "I always look forward to fighting my way to the top and even this pandemic will not slow me down. What is important at the moment is to stay safe and healthy," she added.
With top form, Faith was ready for the fight with her opponents in the Diamond League and the Olympics. However, the uncertainty and long lull have left Faith with more doubts. "For athletes, we plan and that has been taken from us. You train, but with no idea when to run is frustrating," Faith said.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) has urged athletes to observe health guidelines by their governments, as the tight schedule of competition in 2021 will require athletes to be at their best fitness to excel.
