Eliud Kipchoge has won a marathon for the first time in three years. The 41-year-old Kenyan took the Melbourne Marathon in 2 hours 9 minutes 10 seconds, two seconds inside the race record, even after slowing to wave to the crowd. “My body is still peaking,” he said.
Eliud Kipchoge won the Melbourne Marathon on Sunday, October 11, his first victory over the distance in three years, Al Jazeera reported, citing news agencies.
Result
| Athlete | Time | |
|---|---|---|
| Men, 1st | Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) | 2:09:10 |
| Men, 2nd | Thomas Do Canto (Australia) | 2:10:35 |
| Men, 3rd | Reece Edwards (Australia) | 2:14:33 |
| Women, 1st | Camille French (New Zealand) | 2:28:25 |
| Women, 2nd | Sinead Diver (Australia) | 2:28:49 |
| Women, 3rd | Nichola Sheridan (Ireland) | 2:29:13 |
A Record, With Time to Spare
Kipchoge’s time was two seconds inside the race record. It would have been quicker, but he slowed inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground to wave to spectators.
He broke away inside the final 10 kilometres.
“I [increased] the pace after 30km to see whether I can run well and beat the [race record]. My plan went well,” he said.
‘Still Peaking’
“I believe that my body is still peaking – still able to compete with the next generation,” said the 41-year-old.
“The oldest athlete is still competing, but I am happy to run with the Gen Zs.”
An Unusual Course
The route used part of the Australian Formula One circuit at Albert Park and finished inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
“It was actually different – running on a beautiful course, but also running on the Formula One track, and above all else, finishing on a cricket ground,” he said.
The World Tour
The win was Kipchoge’s first since Berlin in 2023.
It is part of a project he announced in 2025: to run marathons on all seven continents, Antarctica included, over two years, raising money for causes he supports. Melbourne was the third stop, after South Africa and Brazil.
Who He Is
Kipchoge is a two-time Olympic champion and a former world record holder, described in the report as the most decorated marathon runner in history.
Image: Eliud Kipchoge (left) at the 2023 Berlin Marathon (file photo). Photo: IgorCalzone1 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
