Canadian marathoner reveals how watching Eliud Kipchoge struggle at Boston Marathon altered his Olympics plans

© Imago.

ATHLETICS Canadian marathoner reveals how watching Eliud Kipchoge struggle at Boston Marathon altered his Olympics plans

Joel Omotto 22:04 - 04.11.2023

The North American marathon record holder has explained how Eliud Kipchoge’s fifth-place finish at the Boston Marathon saw him make a major U-turn in his plans for the Olympics.

Canadian long-distance runner Cameron Levins has explained how Eliud Kipchoge’s struggles at the Boston Marathon saw him decide against featuring at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.

Levins had planned to run the marathon at the Worlds in Budapest, Hungary as part of his preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics but developed cold feet when he watched the Kenyan great have it rough at the tough and hilly course in Boston before eventually finishing fifth.

It was Kipchoge’s first race in Boston but it did not go well for the former marathon world record holder. That defeat made Levins perform a U-turn and opt to run in a tougher marathon, electing to sign up for this year’s New York Marathon, before heading to Paris.

“The major change was watching Kipchoge struggle in Boston, I watched that and went; ‘that could be me [in Paris]’,” Levis said ahead of Sunday’s race in New York.

“I also haven’t taken on a course like Boston, like New York, before something like the Olympics which is going to be an even more difficult course. I think elevation changes like double Boston.

“I want that experience and New York’s going to give it to me. I guess I could go and run a hilly marathon anywhere, but having one that’s competitive like this is super important too.

“When we looked at it from the standpoint of logically and not emotionally, and what I really want to do. Chasing a medal in the World Championship is still something important to me in the future as well but what makes sense being ready at the Olympics was this race.”

The 34-year-old, who is the North American marathon record holder and the Canadian record holder in the half marathon, is hoping for some good tidings in New York, especially in the absence of defending champion Evans Chebet and two-time winner Geoffrey Kamworor.

“At least I believe it [winning]. Yeah, absolutely. I’m feeling good about it. I’ve nailed some big workouts at least as well as I did before Tokyo,” added Levins, who finished fifth in a North American record of 2:05:36 at this year’s Tokyo Marathon.

The 2014 Commonwealth Games 10,000 bronze medallist has been to two Olympics, London 2012 and Tokyo 2020. He was 14th and 11th in the 5,000m and 10,000m respectively before managing position 71 in the marathon won by Kipchoge at the delayed Tokyo Games two years ago.

Follow Pulse Sports WhatsApp channel for more news.