A look at marathon great Eliud Kipchoge's glittering career as he turns 40
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 05.11.24. | 16:32
As he celebrates another year, Kipchoge shows no signs of slowing down. His drive to excel and push the limits continues to inspire.
Every 5 November, the world celebrates the birthday of marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge who has transcended the world of athletics to inspire millions with his mantra, “No human is limited.”
Born back in 1984 in Kapsisiywa, Nandi County, Kenya, Kipchoge began his journey in athletics at a tender age, showing promise as a long-distance runner in his formative years.
Over the years, he has gone on to achieve feats that were once considered impossible, breaking barriers and setting new standards in the marathon sphere.
It was as a 19-year-old at Athens 2004 that he made his Olympic debut, already a world champion and adding bronze to his collection in the men’s 5000m event.
By then, the Kenyan was already established in the athletics world, but the very best was yet to come. He then upgraded his bronze to silver in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
His name became synonymous with marathon greatness in 2014 when he claimed his first marathon victory in Rotterdam, setting the stage for a dominant career.
Since then, he has consistently defied the odds, winning an astounding 15 of the 18 marathons he has entered and claiming titles in nearly all of the World Marathon Majors, including London, Chicago, and Berlin.
Kipchoge won his first Olympic gold medal in the gruelling marathon at Rio 2016, by that point already a four-time World Marathon Majors champion.
He successfully defended his Olympic title at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021), becoming the third marathoner in history to win back-to-back Olympic marathon golds.
In addition to his Olympic glory, Kipchoge set his maiden 42km world record at the 2018 Berlin Marathon, finishing in 2:01:39, shattering the previous mark by an astonishing 78 seconds.
Then, in 2022, he further broke his world record in Berlin with a time of 2:01:09 to rewrite the record books.
While his official world records have captured headlines, Kipchoge’s most unforgettable achievement may be his historic run in Vienna, Austria, on October 12, 2019.
In a specially arranged event, the INEOS 1:59 Challenge, Kipchoge became the first human to complete a marathon in under two hours, finishing in 1:59:40.
Although the event did not meet the conditions required for an official world record, the achievement was widely celebrated as one of the most significant moments in sports history. That performance proved that barriers could be broken and inspired athletes and fans worldwide.
Kipchoge twice held the official world marathon record where he even broke his record by 30 seconds, holding the accolade for five years before it was broken by the late Kevin Kiptum.
Awards and Recognition
Kipchoge’s influence and accomplishments have earned him numerous accolades, including being named the IAAF World Athlete of the Year in 2019. He was also honoured with the Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year in 2020, recognizing his boundary-breaking feats in the marathon.
Looking Ahead
As he celebrates another year, Kipchoge shows no signs of slowing down. His drive to excel and push the limits continues to inspire.
He will participate in the Amazing Thailand Marathon Bangkok 2024 (ATMBKK2024)10km mass run on Sunday 1 December following an ambassadorial agreement he inked with the Asian country.
This is the first time since 2014 that Kipchoge will be competing in any other race apart from the marathon.
