Defending champion Eliud Kipchoge will lead the unveiled marathon team to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Defending champion Eliud Kipchoge will lead Team Kenya's men’s marathon team to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Athletics Kenya has announced.
Kipchoge goes to Paris with history in his mind as he intends to become the first man to win three Olympic titles over the marathon. If he manages to achieve the feat, he will also become the oldest marathoner to have successfully defended his title at the Olympics.
Kipchoge had a false start at the Tokyo Marathon where he finished a disappointing 10th but he has since gone back to training and will be sharpening his talons ahead of the global bonanza.
Joining Kipchoge will be reigning Tokyo Marathon champion Benson Kipruto who stunned heads at the Tokyo Marathon to take the top prize just as a debutant. Kipruto is a well-known marathoner and with a man of such quality in the field, Kenya is assured of a medal.
Kipruto goes to the Olympic Games hungrier than ever since he will be in the hunt for his first title under the Team Kenya jersey. With the motivation from winning the Tokyo Marathon, he will be out to impress.
Another athlete to watch will be Timothy Kiplagat, the 2022 Abu Dhabi Marathon champion. Kiplagat is laid back but when it comes to the marathons, he knows how to execute his races well and finish in the podium bracket.
Alexander Mutiso has also made the cut to the national team in his first senior assignment. Mutiso bagged silver for Team Kenya during the 2018 World Under-18 Athletics Championships.
He will be hoping to impress one more time, having a great record of previous marathon successes including a win at the 2023 Prague Marathon and a second-place finish at the 2023 Valencia Marathon.
Little-known Vincent Ngetich, the young man who traumatized Kipchoge at the 2023 Berlin Marathon will also be part of the star-studded field. Ngetich proved to be a great marathon runner, finishing second behind Kipchoge in his debut over the distance.
posted Friday April 5th
by Abigael Wuafula