In a surprising turn of events at the 2024 Paris Olympic Marathon, Eliud Kipchoge, the marathon legend and two-time defending Olympic Champion, did not finish the race—a first in his illustrious career. The 39-year-old Kenyan, who was targeting an unprecedented third straight Olympic gold, was forced to drop out of the race due to a back injury.
Kipchoge, who had looked uncomfortable from the early stages of the race, pushed through the pain until the 31-kilometer mark. Despite his best efforts, the physical discomfort in his back became unbearable, causing him to step off the course and take his first-ever DNF.
“I had a pain in my back at about 20km and decided not to finish and try to get out,” Kipchoge explained after the race. “The hills didn’t affect me at all. The pain made me stop.”
As he walked the final two kilometers before stepping out, Kipchoge was joined by over 300 spectators who walked alongside him, a clear demonstration of the respect and admiration he commands.
“I walked for 2km and had more than 300 people on either side of me walking with me. That’s why I don’t have my shirt, the socks, the shoes, the race number,” he recounted, his emotions evident.
After handing his shoes and socks to some fortunate fans, Kipchoge was taken to the finish line by taxi—a moment that many found disheartening, considering his status as the greatest marathoner of all time.
Despite the circumstances, Kipchoge was philosophical about his historic DNF, stating, “This is my worst marathon. I have never done a DNF. That’s life. Like a boxer, I have been knocked down, I have won, I have come second, eighth, 10th, fifth – now I did not finish. That’s life.“
“It was not the race I came here for,” Kipchoge admitted. “But that’s sport. Sport is up and down. Sport is like a [garden] when you go and plant seed, then there is actually weeds and flowers, today I harvested weeds.”
Kipchoge’s struggles opened the door for Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola to claim the gold medal in a new Olympic record time of 2:06:26. Belgium’s Bashir Abdi took silver and Kenya’s Benson Kipruto claimed bronze, while Great Britain’s Emile Cairess narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth.
No matter what happened today and in many years to come, @EliudKipchoge still remains the greatest marathon runner of all time at this point in history. pic.twitter.com/kfkvXhhHGk
— Justin Lagat (@LagatJustin) August 10, 2024
The future for Kipchoge now remains mostly uncertain.
The veteran runner, who has dominated the marathon scene for over a decade, is contemplating the next steps in his career. “I don’t know what my future will hold. I will think about it over the next three months. I still want to try to run some marathons,” he said.
Although he is unsure of his future in marathon running, Kipchoge has confirmed that this was his final Olympic Games, “You will see me in a different way, maybe giving people motivation, but I will not run.”
For now, Kipchoge will return home to Kenya, where he will reflect on his unparalleled career and decide on his next move. As the world awaits his decision, one thing is certain: regardless of the outcome, Eliud Kipchoge’s legacy as a marathon icon will remain for decades to come.
