Just a day ago, on the USA’s Track Town, Eugene, 15 incredible women lined up for 1500m at the 50th Prefontaine Classic. All had just one goal and a dream, but one amongst them already knew she was going to create history, and she did the same by crossing the finish line in 3 minutes, 48.68 seconds, slicing nearly half a second off the record she herself had established less than a year earlier. A full stadium in Eugene, Oregon, rose to acknowledge what they had just witnessed. Even her competitors, including Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji and Australia’s Jessica Hull, came to congratulate her. What followed should have been a dignified moment of reflection. Instead, it became something else entirely.
Amid the applause celebrating Faith Kipyegon, one question resulted in an unseemly shadow over her triumph! During her post-race interview, a reporter asked a question that many deemed irrelevant and disrespectful. Addressing Kipyegon with a question that seemed more flippant than inquisitive, the journalist asked, “Hey…you’re 5 foot 2, can any man 5 foot 2 beat you in a mile?” The remark struck many as inappropriate. Rather than acknowledging the athletic excellence on display, it sought to reduce Kipyegon’s effort to a hypothetical based on height and gender, offering no meaningful insight into the historic performance she had just completed.
The broader athletics community responded swiftly. Across online forums, comment threads, and journalistic circles, the moment became a flashpoint. Critics questioned the judgment behind the question, asking why an athlete of Kipyegon’s caliber was being asked to measure herself against an abstract male standard. Especially when she had just set a mark unmatched by any other woman in the sport. While the runner herself maintained composure, as she just smiled and said, “…that’s really the top one!” before walking away. The exchange was widely circulated as an example of how elite female athletes are too often subjected to dismissive framing. Even at the height of their accomplishments.
World Record for the worst question ever asked in a mixed zone? #PreClassic pic.twitter.com/YGg3P3wLjE
— Mac Fleet (@macfleet) July 6, 2025
Meanwhile, Kipyegon has long emphasized the importance of inspiring young girls and women. Speaking after her race in the Prefontaine Classic, she said, “To be honest, the ladies are pushing me too because they are running quick now… and that is what I wanted, to motivate the younger generation to come and do even better.” That motivation has been tangible. Her closest competitors are edging closer to her times, reflecting a field that is rapidly elevating.
Just weeks before the Prefontaine Classic, Kipyegon ran the fastest mile in women’s history, 4:06.42, at a Nike-sponsored special event in Paris. Although the performance is not recognized as a formal world record, it further illustrates the high standard she continues to set. Also, for Kipyegon, she was grateful for the opportunity.
What Faith achieved at the Prefonatine was just incredible, but now with the disrespectful question gaining a lot of eyeballs, her fans aren’t letting it slide by.
Reporter slammed by fans for bizarre question after Faith Kipyegon’s world record run
As soon as the post became viral, fans flocked to the comments section. One X user pleaded, “Press pass revoked!! Do not let him back in the stadium.” Such a comment indeed captured fan frustration at the breach of journalistic responsibility. Instead of elevating Kipyegon’s world-record feat, the reporter chose to introduce a bizarre hypothetical. Many felt such conduct shouldn’t just be criticized, it should have consequences, like losing access to future events for undermining the moment’s gravity.
One netizen summed up the layered offense with, “Misogyny and height of heightism in one question?” The inquiry reduced Kipyegon’s elite athleticism to a comparison against an imaginary 5’2″ man, a gesture both sexist and absurd. It implied that gender and stature still hold more narrative weight than breaking world records, especially in women’s sport.
Another fan lamented, “This caused me real life physical pain. What on earth ”. An exaggeration, perhaps, but it captured the collective cringe. In a moment meant for celebration, the question was so jarring and off-topic that it physically unsettled viewers, shifting emotions from awe to discomfort, showing how misplaced commentary can ruin the emotional tone of elite competition.
With biting sarcasm, one commenter asked, “Can any camel with a brain the size of this reporter’s ask a better question.” The comparison ridicules the lack of thought behind the journalist’s query. Rather than engaging Faith Kipyegon on strategy, training, or emotions post-record, he fumbled into a nonsensical detour at the post-race presser of the Prefontaine Classic.
The stern call from a track enthusiast to “Cancel accreditation of the questioner, effective immediately” illustrates how fans weren’t merely venting. Rather, they’re advocating for institutional accountability. They view the remark not just as a lapse in taste but as a failure of professional standards, especially in a setting where women like Kipyegon are rewriting athletic history. Thus, with a lot going on, it now remains to be seen what happens next as Faith Kipyegon continues with her dominant and confident stride.
The post Track & Field Community Angry With National Reporter as Disrespectful Moment From Prefontaine Highlighted appeared first on EssentiallySports.