World marathon record-holder Eliud Kipchoge will head back to Germany in September ahead of a tilt at winning his third Olympic title in Paris in 2024.
One year after slicing half a minute off his world record, Kipchoge will return to the BMW Berlin Marathon on September 24, aiming to become the first athlete in history to win the race five times.
The double Olympic champion has chosen Berlin for his autumn outing, as he feels this fast course provides the perfect preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Kipchoge will have an uphill task as he will have to get past his compatriot Kelvin Kiptum the second fastest man in the world who also who won the London Marathon in April in 2:01:25.
The 2019 World bronze medallist, Amos Kipruto who also won the London Marathon last year and whose best is 2:03:13 will also be on the start line.
The women defending champion Tigist Assefa, who improved the women’s course record with 2:15:37 in 2022, will also be there to guard her title.
“On my road to the Paris Olympic Games, I like to go back to the BWM Berlin Marathon, since to me this is the perfect preparation,” Kipchoge says. “I have great memories there and I look forward to running the streets of Berlin again, together with the thousands of runners that will join.”
Kipchoge’s most recent race saw him finish sixth in Boston in 2:09:23, he set the current world record of 2:01:09 a year ago on this German course.
A fifth triumph would see him move clear of Haile Gebrselassie, with no man having ever won five times in Berlin. A win would also come a fitting 20 years after his first global triumph, over 5000m at the 2003 World Championships in Paris.
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