It has been over three days since Faith Kipyegon took on the most challenging race of her career in Paris, but the reactions keep coming. Faith Kipyegon wore a specially designed bra by Nike for her Breaking4 race on June 26, 2025. Kipyegon sought to become the first woman to run the mile under four minutes. The current world record holder in the event needed to shave off at least seven seconds from the time she set in Monaco in 2023. She stopped the clock slightly more than six seconds from where she wanted it, but inspired millions worldwide with her bold attempt to rewrite history. How athletes reacted to Faith Kipyegon’s Breaking4 Fellow athletes, led by Eliud Kipchoge, were in awe of the triple Olympic champion who is arguably the greatest middle-distance runner of all time, male or female.
“Limits exist only in our minds. Faith dared to go beyond them. I am proud to witness her journey and see her inspire so many around the world. I, for one, can say moonshots don’t always succeed on a first try, but the first try is the most crucial one for us all. It’s not a matter of if, it’s when,” he said. Triple Olympic champion from Paris, Gabby Thomas, said, “So inspiring. Truly exemplifies what sport as a whole is about.” Faith Kipyegon’s bra at Breaking4 The whole race, which was run under special conditions, was led by revolutionary technology from Nike. Kipyegon was equipped with an aerodynamic one-piece suit and a featherlight 3D bra as part of the process to help her take off the required seven seconds from her personal best. What is the bra made of? The featherlight sports bra, which is 3D-printed, is made from FlyWeb, which is made from thermoplastic polyurethane material. Normal athletic wear is made from yarn. 3D printing is common for footwear, but this was the first time Nike used it to produce sports apparel for an athlete. “What works on a shoe doesn’t just translate to something you wear on your body. It took years of re-engineering — not just the materials but the design approach itself — to make FlyWeb feel soft, breathable and beautiful enough for apparel,” said Janett Nichol, Nike VP of Innovation.
How does the 3D bra work? Nichol further explained that the bra was designed in such a way that it was light enough (featherlight), almost as if Kipyegon felt she wasn’t wearing anything. “It’s soft. It’s light — so light, it feels like you’re not wearing anything at all. That’s the No. 1 thing testers tell us: It disappears on your body yet somehow delivers incredible support.” It manages moisture and gives the athlete freedom of movement when in motion. Faith Kipyegon celebrates at the finishing line after the Breaking4 race. Photo by Emma Da Silva. Source: Getty Images The one single, seamless design was also made thin enough to ensure it reduced any aerodynamic drag under the suit she wore.
What is aerodynamic drag and how does it affect athletes? This is basically the resistance an athlete encounters when they move through air. The wind resistance slows them down, which is something Nike wanted to eliminate or minimise in the Breaking4 attempt. It is also why Kipyegon had 11 pacemakers running around her to protect her from the wind. Nike intends to work on more designs and test them on other athletes in different sports after Kipyegon last week.
By Martin Moses
