KIPCHOGE THE KING

KENYAN IS UNDISPUTED WORLD NO.1 AND COULD BE THE GREATEST EVER MARATHONER

MARATHON

WHEN Eliud Kipchoge stormed to victory in the London Marathon in April, he confirmed his position as favourite to win the Olympic title. It was his sixth win over 26.2 miles in seven races in times ranging from 2:03:05 to 2:05:30 against topclass opposition at a variety of big-city marathons.

Surely he could not be beaten. Yet this was the Olympic marathon – an unpredictable, lottery of a race which shows no respect for reputation and has a history full of gold medallists who were barely known before they toed the line.

Many modern marathon runners realise this and dodge championship events like this – with no pacemakers, lack of prizemoney and often unpredictable weather conditions – in favour of more lucrative big-city events.

Dominant: Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge came into the event as a big favourite, with six wins at 2:05:30 or faster

“THIS IS THE BEST MEDAL THAT I’VE HAD IN MY LIFE”ELIUD KIPCHOGE, on his marathon victory

Not Kipchoge, though. Since he outkicked Hicham El Guerrouj and Kenenisa Bekele to win the 2003 world 5000m aged 18, he has never shirked a challenge and he lined up on Sunday’s rain-drenched start line for the final event of the 2016 Olympic athletics programme brimming with confidence.

During a slow first 10km covered in 31:08 and first half passed in 65:55 the runners were reluctant to commit themselves, but the pace soon livened up as Kipchoge took control and he ran the last 12km at 2:02 marathon pace to stretch his rivals.

With 10km to go Kipchoge led from Ethiopian duo Lemi Berhanu and Feyisa Lilesa, plus Galen Rupp of the United States. Rupp, who had placed fifth in the 10,000m final the previous weekend, was picking up a new cap laced with ice cubes for his head every time he reached a drinks station, but Kipchoge was also wearing a hat and cast his off, throwing it to the side of the road, as he began to build up the tempo.