“I don’t underrate anybody”, Eliud Kipchoge speaks ahead of Paris Olympic Games
3rd May 2024
Kenya’s women’s marathon squad to the Paris Olympic Games has Peres Jepchirchir, Brigid Kosgei and Hellen Obiri.
- Eliud Kipchoge will be seeking to become the first human to win three back-to-back Olympic Games marathon titles in the upcoming Paris edition.
- Kipchoge will team up with Alexander Mutiso and Benson Kipruto in Paris.
Former world record holder Eliud Kipchoge has made clear his plans after being confirmed as one of the six marathoners who will represent Kenya in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Kipchoge, who spoke during the official confirmation of the marathon squad by Athletics Kenya (AK) and the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK), stated that his attention has now entirely shifted to the games.
The legendary runner revealed that he expects stiff competition from the individuals he will compete against in Paris.
“I don’t underrate anybody; I give everybody the maximum respect and you know this is sport. This is where we meet and exchange. Black, and white people meet and run together. I feel good, it is the only way to give back to our country.
“I really want to have a good performance. I believe in my preparations and planning that if all goes well, I will win. And if anything happens, then this is sport and you know, you accept the outcome and that is the only way to enjoy the sport,” he noted.
Kipchoge will team up with the recently crowned London Marathon champion Alexander Mutiso Munyao and the 2024 Tokyo Marathon winner Benson Kipruto in the eagerly anticipated games scheduled to kick off on July 26.
Kenya’s women’s squad has the defending champion Peres Jepchirchir, former world record holder Brigid Kosgei and Hellen Obiri, who won the 2024 Boston Marathon title in April.
Kapkenda Girls Secondary School alumni Sharon Lokedi and the highly rated Timothy Kiplagat will serve as reserves for the women’s and men’s team respectively.
Kipchoge further assured Kenyans that he will work together with his team mates to ensure they bring glory to the country.
“I think for the next three months we are going to train in a good way, trying to go and represent our country in a good way and come up with good results.
As always, we are going to Paris as a team, not as individuals. As you know these are games, this is not the world major marathons. This is the Olympic Games. So, we are going as a team,” commented the Kaptagat based road race runner.
Should the father of three win the coveted Paris Marathon title, he will enter history books as the only human to have won three back-to-back Olympic Games titles.
Kipchoge bagged his first Olympic Games gold medal at the 2016 edition which was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil before retaining it during the delayed 2020 Tokyo edition.