Considered the greatest marathoner of all time, Eliud Kipchoge has challenged what was believed to be physically possible over the 42.1km distance.
In October 2019, Kipchoge achieved an extraordinary milestone by becoming the first man to complete that distance in under two hours, an awe-inspiring feat that defied conventional expectations.
Clocking an incredible time of 1:59:40 in Vienna, the Kenyan cemented his name in the history books and solidified his status as a legend of distance running. His monumental achievement wasn't officially recognised as a world record as it was not run under open marathon conditions.
But the achievement marked an incredible journey for Kipchoge, who was born on a farm in Kenya and lost his father as a child.
Eliud Kipchoge: Etching his name in Olympic history
Beyond his iconic sub-two-hour marathon feat, the Kenyan runner's list of achievements is rich and illustrious. He claimed victories in prestigious marathons across the globe, including London, Chicago, Tokyo, and Berlin.
He has performed exceptionally in the Olympic Games, winning back-to-back gold medals at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 marathons. The distance legend is the third man in history to clinch two Olympic marathon titles, and he's aiming for a third at Paris 2024.
Kipchoge made his Olympic debut in Athens 2004, a year after bursting onto the international scene, winning the 5,000m world title as an 18-year-old.
Kipchoge always seemed destined for greatness with his victory over Moroccan middle-distance legend Hicham El Guerrouj and Ethiopian great Kenenisa Bekele at the 2003 World Championships in Paris.
He won the 5,000m bronze medal on his Olympic debut in Athens 2004 before upgrading to silver four years later in Beijing in the same event. By 2008, Kipchoge had already been an established name in distance running, boasting two world championship medals and two at the Olympics. He was still only 23 years old.
Eliud Kipchoge: Racing into the record books
Kipchoge's dedication and tenacity have been evident in his world record-breaking accomplishments. The Kenyan icon raced into the record books at the 2018 Berlin Marathon, lowering the previous global mark held by compatriot Dennis Kimetto by 1:18 with a time of 2:01:39.
On 25 September 2022, at the age of 37, he set a new official record of 2:01.09 before Kelvin Kiptum became the world's fastest man over the distance at the 2023 Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:00:35.
The prospect of the duo going toe to toe for the first time evokes excitement and anticipation, promising a showdown that could go down in the annals of marathon history as Kipchoge targets an unprecedented third gold medal in Paris 2024.
“I will be the happiest on earth to win an Olympic medal for the third time, back-to-back-to-back. It’s about making history; it’s about inspiring a generation," Kipchoge said.
