PARIS, France, Aug 10 – Never in his running career did the legendary Eliud Kipchoge imagine he would not finish a race, but on Saturday it happened at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games where compatriot Benson Kipruto saved Kenya the blushes by clinching bronze in 2:07:00.
Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola scooped gold in 2:06:26, smashing Kenya’s Samuel Wanjiru’s Olympic record set in Beijing 2008 while Belgian Bashir Abdi bagged silver in a season best time of 2:06:47.
Kipchoge, who is a former two-time world record holder in the marathon, was out to write history as the first man to win back-to-back gold medals at the Olympics, but that did not go his way as he dropped out of the race after 30 km where he had clocked 1:39:38, occupying 71st position.
Speaking after the race in the French capital, Kipchoge said he had to stop after feeling a pain on his waist.
“I felt a sharp pain on my waist at 20 km, so I decided to go on with the race, hoping it will it will get better, but it did not, so I decided not to finish the race, but I am physically okay, no cause for alarm,” Kipchoge – a five-time Berlin Marathon champion explained.
He added, that, “Today was a tough day in my office, As always you cannot predict what will happen. “you can train for a very long time, but anything can happen, it’s like boxing, you can go to the boxing camp for five months and be knocked out in two seconds.” But all-in-all life continues,” The 39-year-old Kipchoge said.
“This is my worst marathon in my career, I have never dropped out of a race, but that’s life, like a boxer I have been knocked out. I have become top, finished second, become 8th 10th now DNF, so such is sports,” the four-time London Marathon champion underscored.
“After dropping out, I walked for like 2 km and I had like 300 people following me, that is why you are seeing me without a vest, which I had to give out alongside my shoes. That really motivated me,” Kipchoge – the 2014 Chicago marathon winner said.
Asked on what next for him in the world of marathon having achieved everything that was on offer, Kipchoge went on, “I do not want to comment on what will happen tomorrow, so I will go back home try and evolve, if I do not, then I do other things.”
“Sports is a different career where you fall down today and wake up tomorrow. Everyday is a learning opportunity,” Kipchoge said in finality.
-Alex Isaboke is reporting from Paris, France-
