Eliud Kipchoge to take on new Olympic-level role

For the last two decades, Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge has been the undisputed king of men’s distance running. But now approaching 41, the marathon legend says his focus is starting to shift. Winning races and chasing records are no longer his sole priorities.

In an exclusive interview with Olympics.com ahead of the 2025 TCS Sydney Marathon, Kipchoge revealed that he has taken on a new role as an athlete representative with the Kenyan Olympic Committee to inspire and guide the next generation of athletes.

“I’ve been looking for a mentorship position where I could be a voice for the next generation,” Kipchoge said. “This is a huge chance for me to extend my mentorship beyond running—to rugby, football, judo and boxing. I hope that when athletes see me here and now, they see determination and are encouraged to push and break barriers.”

Giving back to athletics is a natural evolution for Kipchoge, whose professional career has spanned 22 years and includes 11 major marathon victories, two Olympic gold medals and four major championship medals on the track. He says he understands the challenges young athletes face, and wishes he had the same mentorship earlier in his career.

Despite stepping into this leadership role, Kipchoge has no plans to retire. He insists his competitive spirit is still alive, driving him to line up at the TCS Sydney Marathon on Sunday, Aug. 31, where he hopes to claim his penultimate AWMM star before chasing his final one in New York.

For Kipchoge, breaking the tape at the iconic Sydney Opera House would be “nice,” but it isn’t his only goal. “It’s a huge pressure for me to win the race,” he admitted. “But there’s more pressure to inspire people to take up running, and show Australians and the world what longevity in marathon running looks like.”

Looking ahead to Sunday, Kipchoge acknowledged the difficulty of the Sydney course. “I think we will run a good course in Sydney, despite it being tough, up and down. The course record is 2:06, and I think we can push to run a good time in honour of the city joining the World Marathon Majors.”