Kipchoge eyeing more glory
‘Now I’m focusing on training, purely on fitness and my muscles to be ready for the start line in London.’
‘Now I’m focusing on training, purely on fitness and my muscles to be ready for the start line in London.’
LONDON, United KIngdom (AFP) — Eliud Kipchoge dismissed speculation that the upcoming London Marathon will be his farewell race after confirming Friday he plans to run at the age of 40.
The Kenyan, arguably the greatest men’s marathon runner of all time, is a two-time Olympic champion over the distance and has 11 wins in elite World Marathon Majors events, including a record four London titles.
Kipchoge, however, failed to finish a marathon for the first time at the Paris 2024 Olympics, sparking speculation his career may be nearing an end.
Asked Friday if the London Marathon on 27 April could be his last race, Kipchoge told a news conference: “No. I will speak more when I finish the marathon.”
“Now I’m focusing on training, purely on fitness and my muscles to be ready for the start line in London.”
“I don’t like to mix some things. I learn to put all my mind on the road, put all my mind on making sure my muscles are lean and ready to combat the London streets. And the rest will come.”
Pressed about retirement, he added: “When you convince me that the world has become a running world, I will retire. When you have four billion people running every day I will retire.”
Kipchoge’s four London triumphs came from 2015 to 2019 — he missed the 2017 edition.
The field this year will also include 2024 Olympic marathon gold medallist Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia and Kenya’s defending London Marathon champion Alexander Mutiso Munyao.
In 2019, Kipchoge became the first person to run a marathon inside two hours but the performance did not count as a world record as the Vienna event and set-up were not ratified by international athletics chiefs.
The official world record of two hours and 35 seconds was set in 2023 by fellow Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, who died in a car crash last year.
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