'Like a boxer, I have been knocked down': Eliud Kipchoge drops out in marathon, announces Olympic retirement
Updated . First published at
PARIS: Kenyan running royalty Eliud Kipchoge's pursuit to become the first man in history to win three Olympic marathon gold medals ended with a "did not finish" (DNF) as Ethiopian Tamirat Tola surged to victory to become the new champion.
And shortly after Kipchoge's run in the French capital ended in disappointing fashion, the marathon GOAT (greatest of all time) announced that he would not compete at another Olympics.
Battling back pain, temperatures in the low twenties and humidity above 60 per cent, the 39-year-old Kipchoge, contesting his fifth Olympics, fell out of the lead pack about halfway through and withdrew from the race at the 31km mark.
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The race also proved frustrating for 42-year-old Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele, who struggled home in 39th place in a time of 2:12.24 at his fifth and final Olympics.
"It is a difficult time for me," Kipchoge said.
"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."
Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya in Paris. Citius Magazine
Tola set a new Olympic record of 2:06.26 as he charged to glory on what is a hilly Paris course, which starts at the Hotel de Ville, heads out along the River Seine, makes its way toward the Chateau de Versailles, treks back along the river and finishes at the Esplanade des Invalides.
Bashir Abdi of Belgium won silver in 2:06.47 and Benson Kipruto of Kenya collected bronze in 2:07.00.
The best of the three Australians was Patrick Tiernan, who finished 24th in 2:10.34, while Andy Buchanan finished 45th in 2:12.58 and Liam Adams 49th in 2:13.33.
Buchanan got a late call-up for his Olympic debut after Brett Robinson, the Australian record holder, withdrew due to injury.
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Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia en route to victory in Paris. Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
In Tokyo three years ago, Kipchoge became just the third man in history to win two Olympic gold medals in the marathon, successfully defending his Rio 2016 title to match the feats of Ethiopian legend Abebe Bikila (1960, 1964) and East German great Waldemar Cierpinski (1976, 1980).
But in Paris, the former marathon world record holder was one of 10 runners who failed to complete the course.
Many of Kipchoge's competitors sung his praises as they dragged their tired bodies through the media mixed zone in the immediate moments after the race.
Tola crosses the finish line to win gold. Rene Nijhuis/BSR Agency/Getty Images
"What a legend. Mad respects to him," said the USA's Clayton Young, who finished ninth in 2:08.44.
"To be able to line up against some of these great marathoners that I've looked up to for almost a decade — I have a lot of respect for them.
"I do a lot of visualisation in preparation for these races, and I think of the perfect form and the perfect embodiment of a marathoner, and I visualise Kipchoge. I try to emulate his form, his character, his smile and what he represents."
Great Britain's Emile Cairess finished fourth in 2:07.29.
"Kipchoge has been so consistent for so many years, so it didn't really matter what he did today; his legacy is already cemented," Cairess said.
"He's had a massive impact, having set world records and being an Olympic champ. He's an example for all of the other marathon runners and has set the bar."
Eliud Kipchoge celebrates winning back-to-back Olympic gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
Buchanan recalled the moment he spotted an embattled Kipchoge up ahead.
"I saw a Kenyan vest up ahead and I was like, 'I'm not sure who that is', and then I could hear the noise and ... I noticed it was him," Buchanan said.
"There's a lot of people back in Bendigo at a watch party and I actually felt really guilty because there's like 200 people at the aths track watching this TV and I actually felt bad I wasn't going to get any TV time. But I saw a motorbike and thought, 'This is good, don't do anything'. Hopefully I managed to sneak on there at some stage, just for the people back home."
