- Eliud Kipchoge returns to the Berlin Marathon for the first time since 2018
- His last run in Berlin ended up in a World Record.
- He says he only wants to run a good race on Sunday
Double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge returns to the scene of his World Record breaking run when he lines up for the Berlin Marathon on Sunday morning. Kipchoge has not competed in the German capital since 2018 and his return on Sunday gives huge hope of a possible assault at his own fastest mark of 2:01:39.
The 38-year old says he is not under any pressure to deliver a world record performance, but just wants to step down on the road and give his best, hopeful that it might be turning a page in history at the end.
“I want to run a good race. I good race is whereby everyone is happy and performs their best at the end of the day. Whether it turns out to be a course record or a World Record, my intention is to run a good race,” Kipchoge stated.
He is the outright favourite heading to race day, with Ethiopian Guye Adola being one of the men to watch out for. Adola raced Kipchoge close in 2017, and only lost the race by seconds due to experience.
Adola says he is expecting a good race against Kipchoge and reminisces the race in 2017, saying he did not even know he would run Kipchoge that close.
Eliud is a legend
Eliud Kipchoge during the pre-race press conference. PHOTO/NN Running team
“Eliud is a legend and the best in the world. That time, I didn’t know I could come so close to him. But when I found myself there, I just decided to keep going. I want to do that again and give my best on Sunday,” the Ethiopian said during the pre-race conference.
Kiphoge, who ran and won the Tokyo Marathon on March this year is looking to become the second man to win the Berlin Marathon four times.
The last and only person to do so was Ethiopian legend Haille Gebresellasie who won the race in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 consecutively.
Kipchoge looks set to achieve that feat as he is in good form and has trained well over the past few months. “I am not in good shape. If I wasn’t I wouldn’t be here,” a confident Kipchoge said.
He remains to be the only man to run a marathon in under two hours, though it was under specialized circumstances and didn’t count as a World Record. But can he run an actual marathon in under two hours?
Not keen to run under two hours
Kipchoge is not keen on that though. Despite the fact that the Berlin course offers a flat and manageable route and the conditions have been passed perfect for a world record, Kipchoge just wants to enjoy the race without pressure.
“I trust that I have shown the way to many athletes, to the next generation, that one day a human being will run under two hours on a normal course, like Berlin or somewhere else,” Kipchoge said.
He added; “I don’t think I am going to Berlin to run under two hours, but I am going to Berlin to run a very good race that will make everybody inspired and love marathons.”
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