Eliud Kipchoge Named in Kenya’s Marathon Team for 2024 Paris Olympics

• Eliud Kipchoge will lead Kenya's marathon team at the 2024 Paris Olympics
• The veteran is looking to win his third Olympic gold medal in the marathon
• Tokyo Marathon champion, Benson Kipruto, was also named in the team

Eliud Kipchoge has been named to Kenya's men's marathon team for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.

The legendary marathoner is looking to win his third straight Olympic long-distance title to cement his legacy as the greatest of all time.

Apart from Kipchoge, Benson Kipruto, Timothy Kiplagat, Munyao Alexander, and Vincent Ngetich also made the provisional team, per Team Kenya. Two-time Boston Marathon champion, Evan Chebet, is a notable omission.

The veteran is the favourite to win gold, but as we saw at the 2024 Tokyo Marathon, things won't be easy.

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Kipchoge was well beaten by Kipruto and Kiplagat in Tokyo earlier last month. Ngetich finished second behind Kipchoge at the 2023 Berlin Marathon.

The 39-year-old won gold in 2016 and 2021 in Tokyo. He is seeking to become the first man to win the marathon gold at the Olympics. Samuel Wanjiru was the first Kenyan man to win a gold medal in the marathon at the Olympics.

The Kenyan team will face tough competition from Ethiopians, who have battled Kenya for decades at the Games.

Analysing Team Kenya

Kipchoge broke the world marathon record twice in his career, with the latest being in 2022 at the Berlin marathon.

His world record (2:01:09), broken last year by Kelvin Kiptum, is his personal best. At the 2024 Tokyo Marathon, he ran one of his slowest marathons. He finished 10th in 2:06:50.

Kipruto defeated Kipchoge in Tokyo after clocking his personal best of 2:02:16. That time is the fifth fastest ever. Kipruto also won the 2021 Boston and 2022 Chicago Marathons.

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Kiplagat finished second at the 2024 Tokyo Marathon, setting a personal best of 2:02:55. Marathon world record holder, the late Kelvin Kiptum, was his training partner.

Munyao took part in Prague and Valencia marathons in 2023 and finished in the top two. He set his personal best (2:03:11).

25-year-old Ngetich set his personal best (2:03:13) at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, despite finishing second behind Kipchoge, per World Athletics.

Marathoners who defeated Kichpoge

Sports Brief earlier reported on athletes who defeated Kipchoge in a marathon race.

Benson Kipruto is the latest one to beat the legendary marathon runner of 15 events.

Wilson Kipsang and Evans Chebet have also beaten the Kenyan veteran in past races.