What I want the world to remember me for – Eliud Kipchoge

• Eliud Kipchoge only wants the world to remember him for the barriers he broke
• Not the gold medals he won because breaking barriers inspires generations more
• He will be competing at Boston Marathon 2023

Kenyan world marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge only wants the world to remember him for the barriers he broke in his athletic career and not the gold medals he won.  He says that his career is all about breaking barriers because he wants his legacy pegged on this and nothing else.

It’s through the broken barriers that he makes a positive impact in his community and in people’s lives and for generations to come.

Kipchoge, is now turning 40 broke his first barrier in life at the INEOS 1:59 challenge in Vienna, Austria in 2019. He became the first man in history to clock 1:59:40 in a marathon.

Although he has achieved a lot of other successes in his marathon career, Kipchoge says running a marathon in under two hours broke a barrier of self-imposed human limitation.

ELIUD KIPCHOGE BIGGEST LEGACY

Eliud Kipchoge. Photo/YouTube

Speaking to Capital Sports at his Eldoret home, he says that this victory remains etched in his mind. He never forgets how great it feels.

“That is my most memorable race and it will forever be in my memory. I am proud to break the two hours barrier. Previously, it took 67 years for a human to make history in athletics, when Roger Bannister’s record of running the mile under four minutes. I became the first man to run a marathon in under two hours,” he remarks.

Any time he readies for a race, motivation becomes the secret weapon that powers up his system and this helps him make history.

Kipchoge’s main drive is breaking down barriers and motivating future generation. He wants people to always remember that they are not limited in whatever they do even outside the sporting world.

His advice is to keep pushing, getting better and keeping the hope that they are destined for greatness.

WHAT IS ELIUD KIPCHOGE’S BIGGEST DREAM IN FUTURE?

As a part of his legacy and in line with breaking barriers, Eliud Kipchoge is gearing up for another round of making history at 40. He is optimistic that he will become the first marathoner in the history of athletics to win three consecutive Olympic marathon titles and the first man to win all six major marathons.

Kipchoge has already dominated four major marathons. He has four victories in the London Marathon, three in Berlin Marathon –two of which he set world records) one in Chicago Marathon and another in Tokyo Marathon.

His eyes are now trained on Boston Marathon and New York Marathon 2023.  He notes that Boston Marathon 2023 is special to him because it commemorates a sad moment in history.

Boston Marathon is his first major event in 2023, and he plans to celebrate with the families of those who lost loved ones in the two bomb bombings that occurred in 2013 just after the race had begun.

The terror attack left three people dead and 260 others were injured.

IS ELIUD KIPCHOGE LEGACY ABOUT SHATTERING WORLD RECORDS?

Eliud Kipchoge with wife Grace Sugut Kipchoge. Photo by Eliud Kipchoge

In February, Kipchoge said that he is done with making world records. He was categorical that his athletics career was about passion and making history for generations to come.

“I don’t intend to set another world record. I now run as a pastime,” he told Nation in an interview.

As retirement remains out of question, Kipchoge lets in the world into things that inspire him. Leaving a legacy of going against odds and conquering inspires him to the bone because this is a lesson generations will pick from him.

“What drives me is the inspiration that I am instilling to the world and the next generation. People have been following my career and get inspired. People are outside running every morning to make themselves fit because they are seeing what I am doing. That is what drives me to keep going,” he further told Capital Sport.

In addition, being a responsible family man makes him successful. His family.. pushes him to be the best he can be and is always there for him. Kipchoge spends his free time at his Eldoret home together with his wife and kids when he is not training in Kaptagat.