Red carpet welcome for London Marathon hero Eliud Kipchoge

London Marathon’s new course record-holder Eliud Kipchoge arrived back in Eldoret to a huge reception on Tuesday as his kit sponsors Nike revealed he used a prototype shoe in winning Sunday’s race.

Kipchoge landed at the Eldoret International Airport with a group of athletes including New York Marathon champion Stanley Biwott, who finished second on Sunday, and former London winner Wilson Kipsang.

Kipchoge won the race in the second fastest ever time ever of two hours, three minutes and five seconds, just eight seconds outside Dennis Kimetto’s world record 2:02:57.

Biwott was second, also inside the old course record, clocking 2:03:51. Nandi Governor Cleophas Lagat joined family members in welcoming Kipchoge at the Eldoret International Airport with the champion once again declaring he badly wanted a ticket to the Rio Olympics.

Kipchoge talked tactics, saying he had whispered to second-placed Stanley Biwott to dictate the pace with him and run away from the Ethiopian challenge led by multiple track champion and world record-holder in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres, Kenenisa Bekele.

“At one time I had to talk to my friend Biwott to run with me so that we could get to the finish line ahead of our competitors from Ethiopia,” he said.

He noted that it is his joy to always carry the national flag high in any competition and the Olympics is no exemption.

“The Olympics is a very important competition and if given a chance by Athletics Kenya, I will be happy to represent my country and bring more medals home,” said Kipchoge.

Meanwhile, after the embarrassment of flopping in-soles in the Nike Streak 6 that almost cost him the Berlin Marathon title last year, Nike on Tuesday said they developed a racing prototype that Kipchoge used on the streets of London on Sunday.

But the Oregon-based sportswear would not divulge details of the newly-developed shoe, only saying it charts the future for distance running.

“Eliud was testing a prototype racing flat,” Ilana Finley, Nike’s senior director of global communications in charge of running and the Olympics, said.

“We can’t share specifics at this time, but with this product we believe we’ve made several discoveries that will help runners of all levels re imagine what is possible at the marathon distance forever. We congratulate Eliud on another amazing win,” she added.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY

Kipchoge, who broke into the international limelight by winning the world junior cross country title in 2003 before taking the world 5,000m title the same year, on Tuesday spoke of the agony of missing out on the world record.

“I really felt bad when I crossed the line and realised that I had missed the world record by eight seconds. But on the other hand, I was happy also for the course record,” said Kipchoge.

Biwott said that he was surprised by his personal best 2:03:51. “I was really surprised by the time that I clocked but at the same time I was happy after being second and getting my personal best,” said Biwott.

At the same time, women’s London Marathon champion Jemima Sumgong was picked by a military plane upon arrival at JKIA and flown to her Moi Airbase Eastleigh where she was received by Kenya Air Force commander Major General Samuel Ng’ang’a Thuita and his deputy Brigadier Francis Ogolla.

Sumgong, who was accorded full military honours, is due for promotion from her current senior private as a reward for her exploits.