Rio Olympics marathon gold on my mind, says Eliud Kipchoge
What you need to know:
- Kipchoge was tipped to make the final marathon team for the World Championships held August in Beijing but requested to be exempted.
London and Berlin Marathons champion Eliud Kipchoge hopes to represent the country at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Kipchoge, who ran two fastest times in the world this season while winning in London and Berlin, said he is focused on giving Kenya its second Olympics marathon victory.
Kipchoge was tipped to make the final marathon team for the World Championships held August in Beijing but requested to be exempted.
Instead, the 31-year-old opted to take a second shot at Berlin after finishing second in 2 hours, 04 minutes and 05 seconds last year.
Kipchoge never disappointed as he won the race in a world lead and personal best time of 2:04:00. Kipchoge had previously triumphed in London in 2:04:42.
“I have enjoyed the season having met virtually all my targets that included the two victories,” Kipchoge told Daily Nation Sport. “Rio Olympics is my main focus next year and I will take the opportunity fast if given a chance.”
If he is to make to Rio, it will be the first time for Kipchoge to represent Kenya in a championship race since winning silver in 5,000m at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Kipchoge, who is the 2003 Paris World Championships 5,000m gold medallist, boasts of two Olympics medals over the same distance; bronze from the 2004 Athens and silver from 2008 Beijing Summer Games.
Kenyan marathoners failed to recapture the World titles at the 2013 Moscow and 2015 Beijing Worlds.
Their bid to retain the Olympics marathon title won by the late Samuel Wanjiru at the 2008 Beijing Games also proved a cropper when Abel Kirui and Wilson Kipsang settled for silver and bronze respectively at the 2012 London Games.
There has been a major concern from the poor show by men marathoners at the 2013 and 2015 Worlds and 2012 London Olympics but Kipchoge says he is focused on putting up a good performance.
“I really don’t want to focus on that but my preparations are important than anything else,” said Kipchoge, who has resumed training in Kaptagat.
