Kenyan marathoner Eliud Kipchoge is brimming with confidence as he sets his sights on securing a third consecutive Olympic marathon gold medal in Paris this summer.
The 39-year-old athlete, who dominated the marathons in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and the postponed Tokyo Games in 2021, recently placed 10th in the Tokyo Marathon held this March. In the history of the Olympic marathon, only two other runners have achieved the remarkable accomplishment of defending their titles: Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila (1964) and East Germany’s Waldemar Cierpinski (1980). Kipchoge has openly declared his unwavering determination to conquer the Olympic marathon for a third time. Kipchoge was recently included in Kenya’s shortlist for the marathon event at the Paris Games.
Joining him on this prestigious list are fellow Kenyan athletes Benson Kipruto, Timothy Kiplagat, Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich, and newcomer Alexander Mutiso. The Tokyo Marathon this year witnessed Kipruto’s triumph where he crossed the finish line in an impressive time of two hours, two minutes, and sixteen seconds. Kiplagat and Ngetich secured the remaining two spots on the podium. Despite finishing over four and a half minutes behind Kipruto in Tokyo, Kipchoge remains undeterred and firmly believes in his ability to excel in the upcoming Parisian marathon scheduled for August 10th.
He attributed his performance in Tokyo to fatigue, acknowledging that unforeseen challenges are a natural part of life and the world of sports which ultimately contributes to the captivating nature of athletics. Kipchoge has since adopted a cautious stance regarding his participation in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics surfaced. He references a Kenyan proverb that discourages pursuing multiple goals simultaneously, emphasizing the risk of failing to achieve any. His current focus is solely on conquering the “rabbit” of the Olympic Games. Upon achieving this objective, he will re-evaluate his goals and set his sights on the next challenge on his athletic agenda.
The topic of Kipchoge’s retirement continues to be a subject of interest. However, he has consistently highlighted his commitment to inspiring individuals of all fitness levels to embrace active lifestyles. He challenges others to present a convincing argument that the world will be brimming with enthusiastic runners the moment he crosses the finish line. Only upon witnessing such a scenario would he consider retirement. Kipchoge is also expected to receive a financial reward if he emerges victorious in defending his marathon title.
This year’s Olympics will witness a major development as World Athletics President Lord Coe recently announced a prize money of $50,000 (£40,100) for all athletics gold medalists in Paris. Kipchoge expresses his belief that this initiative will leave a positive and lasting impact on the sport in the years to come.
