Two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge, 41, won the Melbourne Marathon in a course record time of 2:09:10, marking his 17th career marathon victory and first since Berlin 2023. "I believe that my body is still peaking - still able to compete with the next generation," Kipchoge said. The race was partly run along the Australian Formula One track at Albert Park and finished inside the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Kipchoge slowed down inside the MCG to wave to fans, calling the experience wonderful and different.
Australian Thomas do Canto was runner-up in 2:10:35, with Reece Edwards third. New Zealand's Camille French won the women's race in 2:28:25. The Melbourne Marathon was the third leg on Kipchoge's world tour, aiming to complete a marathon on all seven continents, including Antarctica, over two years.
Each marathon raises funds for the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, focusing on education, environmental sustainability and health. Kipchoge is considered one of the greatest long-distance runners of all time, with two Olympic marathon golds, a world title, 12 World Marathon Major victories, and two official world records. In 2019, he became the first person to break the two-hour marathon barrier under special conditions in Vienna.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing