Marathon’s greatest competitor, Eliud Kipchoge, has sent a message to the next generation declaring that he’s not done yet.
The ۴۱-year-old Kenyan revelled in his Melbourne Marathon debut on Sunday, breaking the race record and delighting thousands of fans at the MCG finish.
Beating the old race mark by two seconds, his two hours nine minutes and ۱۰ seconds over a new course gave Kipchoge his first marathon win in three years.
Jimmy Whelan, a former Australian professional cyclist, was with the two-time Olympic champion and former world record-holder until about ۳۰km. Then Kipchoge went up a gear and dominated to the finish.
Looking as though he has just done a training run, Kipchoge then spent well over half an hour celebrating with fans along the MCG boundary fence.
He was mobbed by media at the finish and took the chaos in his stride.
“The crowd is so wonderful – I’ve never seen a crowd like this,” he said. “Melbourne is really, really a sporting city.
“I believe that my body is still peaking – still able to compete with the next generation. The oldest athlete is still competing but I am happy to run with the gen Zs.”
“I [increased] the pace after ۳۰km, to see whether I can run well and beat the [race record]. My plan went well.”
Kipchoge had said repeatedly over the last few days that his Melbourne visit was more than just another race. It is the third leg in his world tour, where he will run a marathon on each continent, including Antarctica.
He has also done some community work while in Melbourne and is acutely aware of the city’s rich sporting heritage.
“The experience is awesome – the culture of Melbourne is wonderful,” he said.
“The last four days, I’ve seen myself, sport can do wonder. It was four-in-one – with the tennis, finishing at the cricket, the Olympics were here in ۱۹۵۶, running on the Formula One track.
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“I will come back to Melbourne to watch the tennis, the Formula One next year, to see people of Melbourne playing cricket. This is the best track ever.”
Kipchoge could have finished a few seconds quicker but was waving to the crowd on the half-lap inside the MCG to the finish.
This is his second visit to Australia. The Kenyan finished ninth in the ۲۰۲۵ Sydney Marathon.
Australia’s Thomas Do Canto was runner-up in ۲:۱۰:۳۵ and Whelan was fifth. New Zealand’s Camille French won the women’s race in ۲:۲۸:۲۵, with Australia’s Sinead Diver next in ۲:۲۸.۴۹.
The Australian Seth O’Donnell and the New Zealander Georgie Gregec won the half-marathon titles.
Earlier on Sunday, a woman was taken to hospital after she was struck by a car near Flinders Street station, about ۲۰۰ metres from the marathon route.
Reports suggest police officers in the vicinity drew their weapons after the car, which was seen driving erratically, hit the woman about ۱۰.۴۵am, before performing a U-turn and driving away.
The woman was taken to Royal Melbourne hospital and her condition is not known.
