Kenya confirms Eliud Kipchoge on Olympics team with London Marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir

Kenya have announced their marathon team for the Paris Olympics, including Eliud Kipchoge.

Two-time gold medallist Kipchoge will go into the race as the favourite following the death of world record holder Kelvin Kiptum.

Kiptum died in a road accident in February at the age of just 24, just months after he claimed the world record with a time of 2 hours and 35 seconds at the Chicago Marathon in 2023.

The Olympic marathon is scheduled to take place on 10 August.

“We say thank you very much for Athletics Kenya for selecting us in Team Kenya,” Kipchoge said, reported by Team Kenya on X.

“I think for the next three months we are going to train to represent our country in a good way and come up with good results.

“As always, we are going to Paris as a team, not as individuals, because you know this is the Games, it is not the world major marathon, it’s the Olympic Games so we are going as a team.”

The social media account added the quote: “When we step onto the streets of Paris, it won’t just be as individuals, but as a formidable team united by our shared pursuit of greatness.”

Kipchoge has competed in four Olympics previously, winning bronze in the 5,000m in Athens and a silver in the same event in Beijing before switching to long-distance road running and winning marathon gold in both the 2016 and 2020 Games.

The team will include Benson Kipruto and Alex Mutiso, while on the women’s team, London Marathon winner Peres Jepchirchir will be joined by Hellen Obiri and Brigid Kosgei.

Timothy Kiplagat and Sharon Lokedi are the men’s and women’s reserves respectively.