Two-time Olympics marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge will lead a team of three men named to represent Kenya in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics while defending champion Peres Jepchirchir will headline the women’s team.
Athletics Kenya unveiled the final list of Kenyan men and women marathon squad on Wednesday, May 1, as part of the ongoing preparations for the competitions in France.
Kipchoge will become the oldest Kenyan track and field athlete to compete at an Olympics and the first Kenyan in any sport to compete in five different Olympics in his attempt to become the first person to win three Olympic marathon titles.
“I always say the Olympic dream is a special dream. The Olympic Games is what we all dream of as little kids starting out with our sport and is what motivates us the most today,” Kipchoge shared on his Instagram.
“I am beyond proud to be selected for the Kenyan team for the 5th time in my life. After winning the marathon gold medal in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo, my focus will now be on Paris.”
Kipchoge Leading the Men’s Team
Kipchoge’s first triumph at the global competitions came at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he secured the title in 2:08:44.
He would later defend his title at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics clocking where he clocked 2:08:38.
Joining Kipchoge for Paris is Benson Kipruto, who won the Tokyo Marathon in March 2024 and has finished in the top three of his last seven marathons overall, including wins in Boston (2021) and Chicago (2022).
Also Read: Kenyan Stars to Undergo Thorough Screening Ahead of Olympics; Here is Why
London Marathon champion Alexander Munyao Mutiso, who won the first World Marathon Majors race in April 2024 rounds up the three-man team.
The 2022 Abu Dhabi Marathon champion Timothy Kiplagat is the reserve member of the team.
Women’s Team
Jepchirchir, on her part, will look to extend her winning streak after winning in several major marathons in her career.
In an eight-month span in 2021 and 2022, Jepchirchir became the only person to win the Olympic, Boston and New York City marathons in a career.
In her most recent marathon, she won the London Marathon on April 21, 2024.
Joining her is Hellen Obiri, the reigning Boston and New York City Marathon champion and a Diamond League winner in 5000m and 3000m.
Also Read: Peres Jepchirchir: Kenyan Athlete Who Broke Women Only World Marathon Record
Also in the team is the one-time Olympic Games Silver medalist and five-time Major Marathon winner Bridgid Koskei
Brigid Kosgei broke the world record at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and London Marathon in 2019 winning the IAAF Gold Label Road race in 2:14:04 and 2:18:20 respectively is also part of the team.
2022 New York Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi the alternate member of the women team in the Paris games.
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