Eliud Kipchoge has the chance to change into the primary marathon runner in historical past to win three Olympic gold medals, after being picked for the crew by Athletics Kenya and the Nationwide Olympics Committee of Kenya.
The 39-year-old Kenyan, who turned Olympic marathon champion at each Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, is at present tied on two golds with Abebe Bikila (1960 & 1964) and Waldemar Cierpinski (1976 & 1980).
No athlete has ever claimed three Olympic titles over 26.2 miles and Kipchoge now has the possibility to face alone at Paris 2024.
“I at all times say the Olympic dream is a particular dream,” Kipchoge stated, on his Instagram. “The Olympic Video games is what all of us dream of as little youngsters beginning out with our sport and is what motivates us probably the most at present.
“I’m past proud to be chosen for the Kenyan crew for the fifth time in my life. After successful the marathon gold medal in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo, my focus will now be on Paris!”
Eliud Kipchoge (Getty)
In addition to two Olympic golds within the marathon, Kipchoge additionally boasts a few monitor medals. At his first Video games – Athens 2004 – a 20-year-old Kipchoge completed behind Hicham El Guerrouj and Kenenisa Bekele over 5000m.
Then, at Beijing 2008, the Kenyan completed behind Bekele once more within the 5000m, this time claiming a silver medal.
A seventh-place end within the Kenyan 5000m trial meant that Kipchoge didn’t qualify for London 2012. He then in fact switched to the marathon and the remainder was historical past.
Kipchoge held the world marathon file on two completely different events, over a 5 12 months interval. On the 2018 Berlin Marathon, he broke Dennis Kimetto’s greatest mark of two:02:57 with a surprising 2:01:39. 4 years later within the German capital, Kipchoge lowered his personal time by 30 seconds to 2:01:09.
Eliud Kipchoge (Getty)
It took a masterful run from the late Kelvin Kiptum – a 2:00:35 on the Chicago Marathon – to dethrone Kipchoge on the high of the all-time checklist.
Between 2014 and 2019, Kipchoge gained all 10 marathons he entered however the Kenyan has just lately struggled to duplicate that excellent kind. The double Olympic champion gained in Berlin final September however completed sixth finally 12 months’s Boston Marathon after which positioned tenth at this season’s Tokyo Marathon, the latter being his worst consequence over 26.2 miles.
Two home challengers Kipchoge will face in Paris might be Benson Kipruto and Alex Mutiso.
Kipruto is a triple main marathon winner, having claimed victory in Boston in 2021, Chicago in 2022 and in Tokyo this 12 months. His win in Boston, an analogous form of gradient to the Paris Olympic course, might show vital.
Alexander Mutiso Munyao (London Marathon Occasions)
Mutiso in the meantime gained the current London Marathon, pulling away from the now 41-year-old Bekele within the remaining levels within the British capital.
Like Kipchoge, Peres Jepchirchir might be aiming to retain her Olympic crown.
If the 30-year-old was to say Olympic gold in Paris, she’d change into the primary feminine marathon runner in historical past to change into Olympic marathon champion twice.
Jepchirchir beat three out of the 4 quickest girls in historical past – Tigist Assefa, Ruth Chepng’etich and Brigid Kosgei – to win the current London Marathon, backing up her sucesses in New York in 2021 and Boston in 2022.
Peres Jepchirchir, Brigid Kosgei, Molly Seidel (Getty)
Kosgei has herself been picked for the Kenyan Olympic crew and in addition to being the previous world record-holder with 2:14:04, can also be a five-time main marathon champion.
The favorite for gold nevertheless might find yourself being Hellen Obiri, who’s a New York and double Boston Marathon winner. Obiri can also be a double Olympic 5000m silver medallist and world champion.
The reserves on the Kenyan crew are Timothy Kiplagat & Sharon Lokedi.
The lads’s Olympic marathon will happen on August 10 and the ladies’s occasion might be a day later, closing the athletics motion on the Video games.
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