Double Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge reckons teamwork will work out the magic needed for Kenya to sparkle at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The East African athletics powerhouse will parade eleven marathoners — five men and six women — at the premier global quadrennial games set to take place in the French capital of Paris from July 26 to August 11.
The six-time Berlin Marathon champion headlines a star-studded list of Kenyan male marathoners tasked with flying the country's flag at the Games, including Vincent Kipkemoi, Benson Kipruto, Timothy Kiplagat, and Alexander Mutiso.
In an interview on Thursday, Kipchoge pledged a perfect outing for the nation, noting that they will oil their limbs adequately for a podium sweep.
"Cooperation will give us an edge over our opponents in Paris. I implore my teammates to work in unison just to ensure the nation keeps both titles," Kipchoge remarked
"We are honoured to represent the nation and fly its flag with pride. We have ample time to spruce up for the race. We all think that working together will lead us to victory in Paris," he added.
The decorated course icon hailed his teammates for punching a ticket to the Games, adding that he believes they all possess the mojo to tuck away the coveted medals.
“Securing slots in Team Kenya already makes us winners in our own right because making the cut is not a mean feat. Our next focus is to hammer away for the medals,” Kipchoge stated.
Kenya will parade a maximum of three runners in both the men's and women's marathon races.
The female team comprises Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir, 2021 Olympic Marathon silver medalist Brigid Kosgei, New York Marathon champion Hellen Obiri, 2019 world champion Ruth Chepng’etich, 2024 Tokyo Marathon runners-up Rosemary Wanjiru and New York Marathon third-place finisher, Sharon Lokedi.
Besides eying the medals, the athletes will go full throttle for the lush prize purse that has been introduced for the first time by the World Athletics.
The world governing body announced Wednesday that athletes who bag the gold medal in each of the 48 track events will take home a whopping Sh6.5m in prize money.
