- Eliud Kipchoge dropped out of the race by handing out his shoes and socks to fans
- The two-time Olympic gold medalist had one more run to go before he retired
- He let the athlete pass him in last place as the viewers showed their love
Eliud Kipchoge, the world’s best marathon runner, took a taxi to the finish line after dropping out of the Paris Olympics.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist, who entered the race at the age of 39, stopped to let last-placed Ser-Od Bat-Ochir pass after 31 kilometers.
He handed his shoes and socks to fans on the side of the road as the crowd cheered and clapped before disappearing into an Olympic bus in what was perhaps the last glimpse of a legend at the Games.
Kipchoge had been in the leading group for the first 10 km and had fallen back to about a minute behind the leaders by halfway. He was one of 10 runners who could not finish.
Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola won gold with an Olympic record time of 2:06:26, while Britain’s Emile Cairess in fourth place finished 27 seconds short of the podium.
Eliud Kipchoge, the world’s best marathon runner, had to withdraw from the race in Paris
The two-time Olympic gold medalist was ushered into an Olympic bus after 31 kilometers
He had given away his running shoes and socks when the crowd showed their appreciation
Kipchoge, who held the world record between 2018 and 2023, hoped to become the first man to win three Olympic marathons.
Between 2014 and 2019 he remained undefeated in no fewer than 10 races in the major marathons.
Before switching to the marathon, the veteran was successful in the 5,000 meters, winning bronze at the 2004 Athens Games and silver in Beijing in 2008.
He then went on to win gold in Rio and Tokyo.
“It’s tough being at the top… You have to have a sixth sense to stay at the top,” he said Olympic Games.com.
“I like the long runs, because I run long. It really makes my mind work hard, for more than two hours. It makes me strong. It makes my mind strong, to be consistent, to respect that pain.
“Everything is a challenge, and the daily schedule is a challenge. We have three big days a week, and we put all our energy into that.
“Pain is everywhere, but we say we win marathons as preparation, so the more pain you get, the better you achieve your goals.”
Kenyan hero Kipchoge was a gold medalist at the last two Olympic Games in Rio and Tokyo
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He is coached by Patrick Sang, a former silver medalist in the 3000 meters steeplechase, whom he met at the age of 16.
“For 18 years, Eliud has never asked me a single question about training… he has never asked about the plan for the year, the plan for the week, the plan for the month, no,” Sang said. Olympic Games.Com.
