- Eliud Kipchoge will return to London in pursuit of a record fifth title in April
- The Kenyan star last competed in London in 2020, where he finished eighth due to an ear problem
- The 40-year-old will face the Olympic champion, the New York Marathon champion and the Valencia Marathon champion
- Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge will return to the London Marathon in April to compete for a historic fifth title
- The two-time Olympic champion is trying to bounce back from a lackluster 2024 campaign, where he failed to win any marathons.
The 40-year-old Kenyan legend will face stiff competition from a stacked field, which includes defending champion Alexander Munyao.
Source: Getty Images
Kipchoge fled to London
Kipchoge will be on the line from Sunday, April 27, in pursuit of a record fifth title. The Kenyan last won the London Marathon in 2019
He last won the marathon in 2023 in Berlin, and some believe he is nearing retirement.
Last year, he competed in the Tokyo Marathon but finished 10th, his worst finish in the race. However, he failed to finish the marathon at the Paris Olympics.
“It's a race that has a very special place in my heart, it's full of great memories, and I'm eager to create more. Let's celebrate the joy of running and the collective spirit of thousands of runners who gather together at the Start Line. It's a great opportunity to share this journey with everyone .”
“After a good break, I'm back in training with renewed energy and focus. I feel re-motivated to do my best in London.”
He finished eighth in his last London Marathon (2020). he has won only one marathon since 2023 (Berlin), for World Athletics.
In addition to his two Olympic gold medals, Kipchoge has won a World record 11 Marathon Majors, making him the greatest marathoner of all time.
Kipchoge is the second fastest sprinter of all time. He broke the world record in 2022 (2:01:09), but late Kelvin Kiptum (2:00:35) broke it in 2023.
Kiptum also broke Kipchoge's London Marathon record. Kipchoge remains the only man to have run a marathon under two hours.
Who will Kipchoge chase in London?
The Kenyan star will face stiff competition from defending champion Alexander Munyao.
Some of his biggest competitors will be Sabastian Sawe (2:02:05), Timothy Kiplagat (2:02:55), Milkesa Mengesha (2:03:17), Tamirat Tola (2:03:39), Mohamed Esa (2 :04:39), and New York City Marathon champion Abdi Nageeye (2:04:45).
Tola won gold at the Paris Olympics, while Sawe won the Valencia Marathon last year.
Kipchoge visits Manchester United
TUKO.co.ke previously reported that Kipchoge visited Manchester United ahead of their Premier League match against Liverpool in September.
He received the club's official jerseys from the team captain Bruno Fernandes but later they were defeated by their fierce opponents.
Man United's minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is one of Kipchoge's sponsors.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
