Tokyo Marathon up next for Eliud Kipchoge

Eliud Kipchoge, the 39-year-old two-time Olympic champion, and the only man ever to break two hours in the marathon, and Sifan Hassan, the 30-year-old Dutch sensation, are gearing up for the 17th Tokyo Marathon on March 3. Both athletes, renowned for their remarkable achievements, are eyeing records as they tackle the challenging 42kms.

Kipchoge, a living legend in distance running, returns to Tokyo after setting a record of 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 40 seconds in 2022. Meanwhile, Hassan, fresh from recent victories in London and Chicago with impressive times of 2:18:33 and 2:13:44, respectively, is poised to continue her stellar marathon performances.

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Hassan, a double Olympic champion in the 5,000m and 10,000m in 2021, transitioned to the marathon in April, debuting with a remarkable time of 2:18:33 against a highly competitive field. Expressing her excitement, Hassan stated, "I am so excited to announce my participation in my next marathon. I feel Tokyo is the perfect preparation towards the Paris Olympic Games because I have great Olympic memories in the city of Tokyo, and I feel I can fuel my Olympic fire there."

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Kipchoge, widely regarded as the greatest of all time in distance running, boasts an impressive resume with a marathon record of 2:01:09 from Berlin in 2022. Having won the last two Olympic marathons in 2016 and 2021, Kipchoge is no stranger to breaking barriers, having achieved the historic feat of completing a marathon in under two hours in 2019.

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Reflecting on his previous success in Japan, Kipchoge shared, "I have good memories in Japan. I won my Olympic gold medal there and ran the course record in the Tokyo marathon. Last time, I was grateful for the organization to organize the event during such a difficult time during the Covid-19 pandemic. My aim was to set the course record, and it was great to achieve that."

As the duo prepares to make history, it's worth noting that no athlete in Olympic history has clinched three consecutive marathon victories across 12 years of competition. With the Olympic marathon scheduled for August in Paris, the Tokyo Marathon serves as a crucial milestone in the journey towards achieving their Olympic aspirations.