Why Eliud Kipchoge may have opted against taking part in the Berlin marathon

The vastly decorated marathoner has missed out on the Berlin Marathon weeks after dropping out of the Olympic marathon.

Two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge missed the 2024 Berlin Marathon having won the event a record five times.

Though it remains a mystery why the veteran has missed what most might term his most favorite event, it could be down to vigorous preparations for this year's Olympics.

Kipchoge's absence begs the question on whether the dominant athlete could be on his last legs.

Kipchoge who revealed he won't compete at another Olympics after failing to finish a race for the first time in his storied career at Paris 2024 could well be hanging up the boots completely.

“My waist was a little bit painful. It was a sharp pain and it was not allowing me to continue with the race,” he explained to Olympics.com at the time

"This is my worst marathon. I have never done a DNF (did not finish). That’s life. Like a boxer, I have been knocked down, I have won, I have come second, eighth, 10th, fifth and now I did not finish. That’s life."

“It’s difficult to train for more than four months and then get a pain where it can stop you,” he added.

His performance at the Paris Olympics and absence in Berlin could be an indicator that the marathoner has run his last race.

Now the icon of marathon running, Kipchoge will be a spectator from the comfort of his home and cheer the elites chase honours on a course he mastered so well, having run race six times as a competitor.