Eliud Kipchoge shares his favourite memory of Olympic Games

ATHLETICS Eliud Kipchoge shares his favourite memory of Olympic Games

Abigael Wafula 08:34 - 13.11.2023

Eliud Kipchoge has shared why the 2016 Rio Olympic Games will forever have a special place in his heart.

Five-time Berlin Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge has shared why his marathon victory at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games will forever have a special place in his heart. 

The men’s marathon was the final race at the event and Kipchoge noted that hearing the national anthem being played during the closure of the event was very heartwarming.

It was also the first time that the four-time London Marathon champion won an Olympic gold medal. He had won a bronze medal in the 5000m at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He also described the podium finish in Athens as a memorable moment.

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“The Olympic Games in Athens were very crucial for me…I was lucky to participate in a country where the Olympic Games were being held for the first time.

"When I won the first medal in the marathon…it changed a lot. It was the final event on the timetable and my country’s national anthem was the last one to be sung.

"Everybody was standing in the stadium and singing the national anthem…I believe all Kenyans who were watching were happy and proud of my performance.

"It changed how people looked at me and gave me the status as far as that performance is concerned,” Kipchoge said.

The two-time Olympic champion explained that donning the Kenyan jersey has always been great and he will be keen to represent the country well in the 2024 Olympic Games.

He will bid to become the first man to win the Olympic title over the marathon three times having won it previously in 2016 and the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

“It actually feels good to run with the flag of your country since it shows that you are proud. It shows that you are sweating for that country,” Kipchoge said.