Kipchoge, Bekele preparing for ‘race of the century’

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele will line up in the London Marathon on April 26, in what is already being billed as the ‘race of the century’.

As the world record-holder (2:01:39), Kipchoge will be the heavy favourite. Though there are few runners on the world stage that can actually challenge the undisputed ‘best-ever’, and Bekele is one of them. Bekele ran a 2:01:41 at the Berlin Marathon in September 2019 – two seconds behind the record set by Kipchoge at the same race a year prior.

Asked directly if his current world record is under threat, Kipchoge said: “Not at all but you can expect a good race, a fruitful race and a race which will get the fans up.”

Kipchoge is also the first man to break two hours for the marathon when he ran 1:59:40 in contrived conditions in October last year, which included using the Nike AlphaFly Shoes which has prompted World Athletics to bring in new regulations for footwear.

It will be Kipchoge’s first race since breaking two-hours, and at 35-years-old there may not be too many more chances for the running great to be at his best.

Bekele, at 37, is two years Kipchoge’s senior and therefore the clock is ticking even more loudly for the Ethiopian.

In total, Kipchoge has won eight of the World Marathon Majors in nine attempts. In fact, his worst result was in his second appearance in a 42.2km event at the 2013 Berlin Marathon – in which he finished second.

However, with the obvious pedigree of Bekele – a close contest could well be on the cards – though a world record seems unlikely.

In partnership with ANA and Sports Leo