Two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge won his first marathon in three years on Sunday when the Kenyan great cruised to victory at Melbourne in a record time of 2:09:10.
The most-decorated marathoner in history had not won a marathon since Berlin in 2023 and this was part of his “World Tour” to raise funds for causes he believes in.
The 41-year-old former world record-holder announced in 2025 he planned complete marathons on all seven continents, including Antarctica, over two years.
Melbourne was the third stop after South Africa and Brazil.
He broke away inside the last 10 kilometres on a course raced partly on the Australian Formula One track at Albert Park and which finished inside the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
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“On the course, it was really wonderful, I enjoyed seeing people standing, cheering, and shouting my name,
“It was actually different -– running on a beautiful course, but also running on the Formula One track, and above all else, finishing on a cricket ground,” ” Kipchoge said, looking fresh at the finish.
“It makes me proud to run with the younger generation and inspire the running community in Melbourne,” he added.
Australian Thomas Do Canto was runner-up in 2:10:35 while New Zealand’s Camille French came first in the women’s race in 2:28:25.
The course was partly raced along the Australian Formula One track at Albert Park and finished inside the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Each marathon will raise funds for the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, which focuses on education, environmental sustainability and health.
Kipchoge is considered one of the greatest long-distance runners of all time, winning two Olympic marathon golds, plus a silver and bronze over 5000m.
His honors also include a world title, 12 World Marathon Major victories and two official world records.
In 2019 he became the first person to break the two-hour marathon barrier under special conditions in Vienna, clocking an unofficial time of one hour 59 minutes 40 seconds.
