Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge made history on October 11 by winning the Melbourne Marathon in Australia in a new course-record time of 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 10 seconds.
The victory marked his first marathon win in three years and added another milestone to a career widely regarded as one of the greatest in long-distance running.
The 41-year-old crossed the finish line ahead of Australia’s Thomas Do Canto, who finished second in 2:10:35, while fellow Australian Reece Edwards came third.
Kipchoge’s winning time lowered the previous course record of 2:09:12 by two seconds.
First Marathon Victory Since 2023
The win ended a three-year wait for a marathon victory for Kipchoge, whose last triumph over the distance came at the Berlin Marathon in 2023.
Since then, the former world record holder has faced a series of challenges, including difficult outings in several major races.
After the race, Kipchoge said the victory was special and thanked fans for their support throughout the course.
He also said he was proud to inspire young runners and promote the sport in different parts of the world.
“On the course, it was really wonderful and I enjoyed seeing people standing, cheering, and shouting my name,” Kipchoge said.
Eliud Kipchoge’s Seven-Continent World Tour
The Melbourne race was the third stop on Kipchoge’s global project, known as Eliud’s Running World, which aims to see him compete in seven marathons across all seven continents over three years.
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The initiative began at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in South Africa on May 24, 2026, before moving to the NB42K Porto Alegre Marathon in Brazil on July 12.
Melbourne represented the Oceania leg of the tour.
Beyond competition, the project aims to unite communities through running and raise US$1 million for the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation.
The foundation supports education and environmental conservation through initiatives such as building school libraries, supporting learning programmes and promoting forest restoration.
Runners worldwide can also participate virtually by tracking their runs and submitting them through the project’s online platform.
The remaining stops will cover Asia, Europe, North America and Antarctica.
Eliud Kipchoge’s Other Career Records
Kipchoge holds several records and historic achievements in long-distance running. He set the men’s marathon world record of 2:01:09 at the Berlin Marathon on September 25, 2022, lowering his previous mark by 30 seconds.
Fellow Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum broke the record in October 2023 with a time of 2:00:35 in Chicago.
In October 2019, Kipchoge became the first person to run a marathon distance in under two hours, clocking 1:59:40 during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria.
The performance was not recognised as an official world record because it was achieved under specially arranged conditions.
The Kenyan has won the Berlin Marathon five times, in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023. He has also claimed four London Marathon titles in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.
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Kipchoge made history at the Olympics by winning consecutive marathon gold medals in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021).
He also won the men’s 5,000 metres at the 2003 World Athletics Championships in Paris.
Kipchoge trains in Kaptagat, Uasin Gishu County, at a high-altitude training camp used by elite Kenyan runners.
His routine combines long-distance runs, speed sessions, strength exercises and recovery.
He has worked closely with coach Patrick Sang, a former Olympic steeplechase silver medallist who has guided his development for years.
Their partnership has helped Kipchoge maintain consistency, discipline and endurance, qualities that have contributed to his success in major marathons and his two Olympic marathon titles.
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