Kenyan marathon aces Eliud Kipchoge and Kelvin Kiptum to go head-to-head in Paris

NAIROBI – Two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and world record holder Kelvin Kiptum were on Dec 4 named in Kenya’s provisional marathon team for the 2024 Olympics Games in Paris.

An equally stacked women’s squad sees the inclusion of defending Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir, Boston and New York Marathon champion Hellen Obiri and the women’s former world record holder Brigid Kosgei.

Kipchoge is bidding to become the first athlete to win three Olympic marathon golds, following his successes at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021.

The 39-year-old has never raced against Kiptum, 24, the reigning London and Chicago Marathon champion, who beat Kipchoge’s old marathon mark with a time of 2hr 35sec in Chicago on Oct 8.

In an interview posted on the Olympics website earlier in 2023, Kipchoge shared his strong belief that he still has what it takes to win another Games gold in Paris.

“I still have something boiling in my stomach, that’s why I am looking forward to it,” he said.

“I still want to run. I want to be the first human to run and (win) three consecutive Olympics.

“I am excited to keep breaking barriers.”

He added: “My main motivation is to inspire the whole world and the next one is the love of sport.

“When I say the inspiration to the whole world is that I still need the next generation. I trust by 2024 I will have made the world a running world.”

The Kenyan won the Berlin Marathon in September for the fifth time, in 2:02:42. He fell short of breaking his world record of 2:01:09 – before Kiptum broke it a month later – but he did surpass Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie for the most victories in the German capital.

“It didn’t go as expected but that’s how sport is,” Kipchoge said after his victory, admitting that he thought he would break the world record.

“I’ve learnt lessons. I have won but I’ve not broken the world record. Every race is a learning lesson.”

When asked about the prospects of winning another Olympic title, he reiterated that he would “try to be the first human to win for the third time in history by putting all my experience next year in the Olympics in Paris”.

Kipchoge and Kiptum will surely be heading to Paris, as Athletics Kenya director of competitions Paul Mutwii said the provisional list of 10 athletes in both the men’s and women’s categories will be whittled down in January to only five runners each for the Games.

“The team selection is based on the world rankings and the athletes’ performances in the major marathon races this year,” Mutwii said in a statement.

“We have also considered consistency, anti-doping, discipline, willingness and championship mentality and attitude of the athletes.” AFP