Eliud Kipchoge won’t compete at another Olympics after failing to finish a race for the first time in his storied career at Paris 2024.
Clearly disappointed but still holding his head high as the only man alive to win the Olympic marathon twice, the Kenyan told Olympics.com that even this wouldn’t stop him from pursuing marathon running that began 11 years ago.
“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, with a discomfort around his waist.
“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 at Los Angeles 2028.
“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, try to figure my 21 years of running at high level. I need to evolve and feature in other things.”
More to follow…