Kipchoge failed to complete an Olympic marathon race for the first time in his illustrious career in a moment that left fans and enthusiasts of athletics all around the world in shock.
Kenyans and athletics lovers all over the world may well have seen the end of marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge’s feature at the Olympic Games after he announced that the Paris 2024 edition is his last.
Kipchoge failed to complete an Olympic marathon race for the first time in his illustrious career in a moment that left fans and enthusiasts of athletics all around the world in shock.
The 39-year-old, known for achieving what human beings believed was impossible in the 42-kilometre races, dropped out of the Paris Olympic marathon on Saturday, August 10 after running for just 31 kilometres.
This was attributed to a discomfort around his waist which was shown in front of his fans watching on TV when he appeared to clutch his backside.
Eliud Kipchoge among other athletes at the Paris Olympics on August 10, 2024. /TEAM KENYA
Kipchoge was chasing an unprecedented third successive Olympic title in the marathon and was seen as a favourite to clinch the impossible, but his bid for immortality fell flat just over the halfway point.
Kipchoge’s exit from the race was marked by a poignant reflection on his career. He expressed his honest disappointment but remained composed, acknowledging the end of a significant chapter in his life.
“It is a difficult time for me,” he admitted after dropping out just after the 30km mark after an hour and about 40 seconds of running.
Adding “This is my worst marathon. I have never done a DNF (did not finish). That’s life. Like a boxer, I have been knocked down, I have won, I have come second, eighth, 10th, fifth – now I did not finish. That’s life.”
On whether he would attempt another Olympic race in Los Angeles in 2028, Kipchoge diminished any hopes fans might have had in seeing him take to the streets of the Southern California city in the United States (US).
“You will see me in a different way, maybe giving people motivation, but I will not run,” he said.
“I don’t know what next. I need to go back [home], sit down, and try to figure out my 21 years of running at a high level. I need to evolve and feature in other things.”
In a video seen by Viral Tea, Kipchoge had stopped and while in the crowd, handed over his shoes, bib, and socks to supporters, receiving a rapturous reception, an early indication that he had called time on his career at the Olympic Games. Held every four years, it is considered the world’s foremost sports competition.
Kipchoge, the double Olympic marathon champion, sat in 63rd place after the first 25km before withdrawing after falling back, showing visible signs of discomfort as he clutched the left side of his stomach and upper hip.
Ethiopian Tamirat Tola delivered a masterclass to win the Olympic men’s marathon in Paris by clocking an Olympic record time of 2:06.26 to secure the victory and end the country’s wait for a gold medal in these Games.
He dethroned Kipchoge who was the defending champion in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and ended his ambitious attempt at a third consecutive win.
The Kenyan marathon legend furthermore no longer holds the world record over 26.2 miles (42.195km), as his mark was bettered by the late Kelvin Kiptum last October, signalling the nearing of the end of his era and the start of a new one in a different athlete.
Kipchoge, who dominated the marathon scene between 2014 and 2023 with 11 major wins, excelled in Berlin (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023) and London (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019). He also boasts two World Championships’ 5,000m medals—gold in 2003 and silver in 2007—and was a finalist three other times.
Paris marked his first major global title when he won the 5,000m gold at the Stade de France in 2003. The most decorated marathoner, Kipchoge’s accolades include the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports (2023), ANOC Best Male Athlete of Tokyo 2020 (2021), and BBC World Sport Star of the Year (2019). He also received the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya (2019) and Laureus Academy’s Exceptional Achievement Award (2019).
Additional honours include IAAF Male Athlete of the Year (2018, 2019), Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022), and AIMS Best Male Marathon Runner (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018).
The announcement marks the end of an era for Kipchoge, whose remarkable career has inspired countless athletes and running enthusiasts. His retirement from the Olympic competition marks the end of an extraordinary journey, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of marathon running.
A picture of two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge crossing the line to win the Tokyo 2020 Olympics men’s marathon. /REUTERS