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Eliud Kipchoge fist bumping Brazilian Marathoner Do Nascimento at the Tokyo Olympics

Athletics

Kipchoge reveals what he told Brazilian Do Nascimento at Tokyo Olympics

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 13 – Images of world record holder Eliud Kipchoge and Brazilian athlete Daniel Do Nascimento fist-bumping and smiling at each other mid-race at the Olympic Games in Tokyo went viral, with the world wowed at the way in which Kipchoge, the Greatest Marathoner of All Time, was at ease.

The 24-year was seemingly excited to be running shoulder to shoulder with the greatness that is Eliud, but unfortunately couldn’t keep up with the pace long enough

But, the memory of being encouraged on by Kipchoge will forever remain in his heart.

And now, speaking to Capital Sport, Kipchoge has disclosed what the conversation with the Brazilian, who trained in Iten prior to the Olympics was all about.

“Sports is all about respecting ach other. I was just talking to him and telling him to follow the green line because it is the shortest distance to the finish line. At first, he thought that maybe I was telling him something else. But when he heard that I was directing him, he was very excited and extremely happy,” Kipchoge disclosed.

But why speak to your competitor during a race?

“For me, sport is all about respecting each other. If you don’t speak to your competitors, then your mind is not working at all. When you engage your competitors, your mind is free and when you see what happens to people’s faces when you talk to them, you are in a good position to compete,” added the greatest Marathoner of all time.

Kipchoge put up an assured performance in defending his Olympic title, stepping down on the gas for the final 30km of the race to become only the third man in history to clinch an Olympic marathon double.

But how did he do it, with a lot of pressure and the weight of expectation weighing down on his shoulders? Kipchoge admits there was pressure heading to Tokyo from all over the world but says he calmed himself down and went for the assault.

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“The pressure was really heavy, but I became calm and I trusted what I had been doing for the last four months. I told myself that I would do it and I went ahead and believed in the work and delivered,” Kipchoge says.

He goes on; “There was a point, three days before the Marathon and people were commenting on social media. There was a 10km race somewhere and the Ethiopians won. Someone was commenting that the same way, we will not win in the Marathon. So I wondered to myself, how would someone compare the 10k to the marathon?”

“But it didn’t bother me much because I know about social media. It is the most democratic channel where all sorts of people comment on everything,” he added.

Being an avid reader, apart from calming his mind and relaxing mentally, Eliud loves to read and before the Olympics, he revealed that the book he was reading is titled Atomic Habits, by James Clear.

“It is a very good book especially as far as values is concerned. It teaches you about life and related to sports as well. I have started reading it and I know want to complete it slowly over the next one month because I want to known and engrain in myself what good habits I can adopt and become a good human being,”

“What lessons I picked from the book heading in to Tokyo was how to bring minds together and setting goals as well as setting up the systems that will enable me achieve the goals. It gave me hope and encouragement that what I have been doing will bring in results,” Kipchoge further said.

For him, however, winning the Olympic gold was not just an achievement on the road, but also an affirmation and encouragement to human beings that you can achieve anything as long as you put your mind and heart to it.

Also, Kipchoge says he wants to leave a good legacy in athletics.

“Defending the Olympic title means a lot to me. It shows that the hard work I have been doing speaks to people and that sports needs to be done in a disciplined way. Above all, this is a message to humanity that you can achieve anything as long as you work,” explains the marathon legend.

For Kipchoge, he will now take a month’s rest before deciding on his next venture in the 42km race.

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