After a battling ninth-place finish at the Sydney Marathon on August 30, two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge has now trained his sights on a historic debut at the New York City Marathon on November 2.
At 40, the marathon maestro proved he still carries fire in his legs, clocking 2:08:31 in Sydney.
Ethiopia's Hailemaryam Kiros shattered the course record, winning in 2:06:06 with his compatriot Addisu Gobena Aga (2:06:16) in second place.
Lesotho's Tebello Ramakongoana completed the podium, clocking 2:06:47.
Arguably the most decorated marathoner of all time, Kipchoge has been drafted into the elite men’s field in New York to add allure to this year’s edition.
For the Kenyan icon, the Big Apple represents a dream long in the making.
“Running the TCS New York City Marathon has been a long-standing goal of mine, and I am honoured to join the tens of thousands of runners who will run through the five boroughs in November,” Kipchoge told race organisers.
“I look forward to the city’s energy, its passionate running community, and the challenge of the iconic course.”
Kipchoge has only raced twice on American soil.
In his maiden US outing at the 2014 Chicago Marathon, he stopped the clock at 2:04:11 to lead a Kenyan clean sweep with Sammy Kitwara (2:04:28) and Dickson Chumba (2:04:32) placing second and third.
His second came at the 2023 Boston Marathon, where he placed sixth in 2:09:23 in a race won by Evans Chebet (2:05:54).
Kipchoge’s record over the 42 km distance is staggering, including 11 World Marathon Majors victories.
His Majors' triumphs include Chicago (2014), Berlin (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023), London (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019), and Tokyo (2022).
Between 2014 and 2019, he strung together an unbeaten run of 10 straight marathons, a streak unmatched in modern distance running.
He is also the only man this century to defend an Olympic marathon crown, winning Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
Kipchoge joined Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila (1960, 1964) and East Germany’s Waldemar Cierpinski (1976, 1980) in an elite company that has secured back-to-back Olympic Marathon titles.
Beyond the Majors, Kipchoge has also triumphed in Hamburg (2013), Rotterdam (2014) and Enschede (2021), bringing his tally to 16 victories from 21 career starts.
Kipchoge hopes to seal his first podium finish of the year, after opening his 2025 campaign with a sixth-place finish (2:05.25) in London.
In New York, Kipchoge will flex muscles with 2024 Tokyo Marathon champion Benson Kipruto, two-time Boston champion Chebet, 2024 London champion Alexander Munyao and Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta.
The women’s race promises equal intrigue after the inclusion of Olympic champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, who will be chasing back-to-back victories over the distance.
The Dutch star secured the Sydney Marathon title in 2:18:22 ahead of former women's world record holder Brigid Kosgei (2:18:56) and Ethiopia's Workenesh Edesa (2:22:15).
Hassan is alive to the New York challenge.
“The TCS New York City Marathon is legendary, and I am thrilled to take on another Abbott World Marathon Major. I love a challenge and am ready to test myself against the world’s best athletes,” she said.
Hassan will parade against a strong Kenyan contingent that includes Boston Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi, 2023 New York champion Hellen Obiri, reigning champion Sheila Chepkirui and 2018 London champion Vivian Cheruiyot.
