Eliud Kipchoge might be the greatest marathon runner of all time, a two-time world record holder and dual Olympic gold medallist, but he’s also 42 and hadn’t won a marathon in three years.
When he came for this year’s Melbourne Marathon, it felt like he was here to run, not race, a sort of grand farewell world tour, an exhibition run around the world. Seven marathons on seven continents. Oceania? That’ll be Melbourne. Tick.
On Sunday, the best we have seen won his first marathon since Berlin in 2023. The field in Melbourne might not have been the strength of Berlin, but his time was a sharp 2:09.08, a Melbourne Marathon race record. (As distinct from a course record, as the course changes a bit.)
“I want to celebrate with the people of Melbourne. I want to celebrate with the people of the world. You know, to show people that sport is about actually crossing the finishing line and coming together,” Kipchoge said once he got his head clear of a mob of cameras that closed in on the diminutive Kenyan at the line.
His hardest push might not have been the killer last 10 kilometres so much as getting from the finish line clear of a camera pack to reach the thousands of fans in the stands of the MCG.
“After three years, I’ve never won, but this is my first win. I believe that my body is still [good], still able to compete with the next generation. I am the oldest athlete still competing, but I am happy to run with the Gen Zs – those who are under 30, yes,” he said.
“My best message to Melbourne is that please, let us all be one. Let us come out in line. Let us run every day. You know, let us run for health. Let us run for education. Let us run for environment. Thank you, everybody. Thank you very much.”
Jimmy Webster, the former pro cyclist, was on Kipchoge’s shoulder for 20 kilometres with a lead pack, but by the 30-kilometre mark, Kipchoge had opened up a 30-second gap. At 32 kilometres, Webster blew up and faded back, but Kipchoge was not completely right either.
At that point, he was on track to run 2.05 or 2.06, but had a side or abdominal problem that seemed to hamper him and ease him back for a couple of kilometres. The question was whether, at his age, he would flag. But with age comes experience; instead, Kipchoge knew to pull his stride for a couple of kilometres, reset and he went again.
He cruised into the MCG to thousands of fans in the northern stands, fireworks and Jess Hull and Cam Myers holding the ribbon at the line. Tom De Canto came in second, 1.26 behind Kipchoge.
“Actually, the crowd is wonderful. I have never seen a crowd like this,” Kipchoge said. “Melbourne is really, really a sporting city. I know it’s more than a sporting city because as the people take their culture is wonderful. It’s above everything as far as sport is concerned.
“With the tennis [the race started outside the tennis centre], finishing at cricket where Olympics was actually there in 1956, ran on the Formula 1 track, so it was four sporting events in one competition.
“So I’m happy. I will come back to Melbourne, you know, to watch tennis, to watch Formula 1 next year, to see, you know, people of Melbourne playing cricket. This is the best track ever.”
New Zealand’s Camille French won the women’s marathon in 2:28.25, 23 seconds ahead of Australian Olympian Sinead Diver.
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Friday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
Michael Gleeson is an award-winning senior sports writer specialising in AFL and athletics.Connect via X or email.
