The build-up to the London Marathon was all about the expected duel between defending Champion Eliud Kipchoge and local runner Sir Mo Farah. However the race materialised into yet another jaw dropping performance from the Kenyan, and there is now little doubt he is the greatest marathon runner in the history of the sport. The online casino in West Virginia had made the Kenyan the favourite, with his price collapsing in the run up to the race following a lot of support.
Eliud Kipchoge finished with a time of 2:02:37, which improved his own London course record. This also meant he clocked the second quickest ever mark on a record eligible course, only behind his own World record of 2:01:39 in Berlin. This meant he won his fourth London Marathon title, as he became the most successful runner in the history of the race. Kipchoge crossed the finish line, winning by 18 seconds, from the Ethiopian pair of Mosinet Geremew and Mule Wasihun. They both posted huge personal bests, in what was a memorable day for distance running.
This victory extended the Kenyans winning streak to 10 races, which is a further indication of how dominant he has been in recent years. As expected his celebrations were limited, as he thanked his sponsors, management and coaches following the race. In his post-race interviews he remained humble, which is why the 34 year old is such a fantastic role model. He is known for his low key lifestyle, despite his vast success and wealth, which he says is the reason he continues to remain at the top of the sport.
Kipchoge has stated post-race that he remains motivated, and is still in love with the sport. This is exciting news as he appears to still be improving, so what can be achieved? Could he yet break that two hour barrier?
So what is next for the Kenyan? His main goal is the defend his Olympic Marathon title in Tokyo next year, following his victory in Rio. He has also stated he wishes to run all six major marathons, so this includes New York, Boston and Tokyo, in order to complete the six race series. There is also a chance he could look at winning the World marathon title in Doha later this year. He is also set for another attempt at breaking the two hour barrier at a special event later this year, expected to take place in the UK.
