WATCH: Eliud Kipchoge hands out finisher medals at London Marathon

So many emotions go through your head when you are about to finish a marathon. The finisher’s medal you receive is not only a sign of accomplishment, but also represents hard work, determination, perseverance and every little sacrifice that went into your race. Achieving your marathon goal is one thing, but having your finisher medal put on by Eliud Kipchoge (the fastest marathoner in history) is a dream come true.

Completed 26.2 miles ✅
Got a medal off the greatest to ever do it ✅

What a special moment on our iconic finish line 🏅#LondonMarathon #WeRunTogether pic.twitter.com/s1qiimfBRS

— TCS London Marathon (@LondonMarathon) April 23, 2023

In the video, you can see the raw emotion and shock (of seeing Kipchoge) on the faces of the finishers. The lucky runners who were awarded medals from Kipchoge finished the race between the 3:30 and 3:40 mark. 

This year, Kipchoge was at the London Marathon as an official starter, kicking off the race at Greenwich Park, south of London’s River Thames, before runners begin their 42.2-kilometre journey finishing on London’s famous The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. Kipchoge has run the London Marathon five times but sat out this year’s race to focus on Boston, where he finished sixth. 

“The TCS London Marathon holds a special place in my heart, and it is an honour to be asked to be the official starter this year,” said Kipchoge in a press release.

The 38-year-old is one of two runners to win the London Marathon on four occasions (2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019), the other being Norway’s Ingrid Kristiansen, who won the race four times between 1984 and 1988. Kipchoge also held the course record of 2:02:37 until his compatriot Kelvin Kiptum smashed it Sunday, running 2:01:27, the second-fastest time ever behind Kipchoge’s 2:01:09.