Eliud Kipchoge’s New York Debut Could Mark His Last World Marathon Major

Eliud Kipchoge will compete in the New York City Marathon on Sunday, marking his first appearance at the event and potentially his final race over the 42.195-kilometre distance.

The 40-year-old Kenyan, one of the most successful marathoners in history, will lead a strong national line-up against a powerful Ethiopian team headed by Kenenisa Bekele. Kipchoge’s run in New York carries added significance, as completing the course would earn him the Six Star Medal, awarded to athletes who finish all six original Abbott World Marathon Majors: Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York. Only 434 runners have achieved this milestone, despite the recent addition of Sydney as a seventh Major.

Kipchoge’s career includes two Olympic gold medals, 11 Major titles, and the first sub-two-hour marathon, achieved in Vienna in 2019. Ahead of Sunday’s race, he suggested that this could be his final appearance in a World Marathon Major, signalling a new phase in his athletic journey.

“November, and it’s New York… It’s a place that has been on my mind for a long time,” Kipchoge told Olympics.com. “It’s time for me to go there and give a good performance before embarking on my new journey of running for other things, running for a purpose.”

The runner has indicated plans to take on more unconventional endurance challenges, including a marathon in Antarctica and a 50-kilometre race in Saudi Arabia. These projects reflect a move towards events that combine physical endurance with social or environmental causes. 

“I want to do that extreme thing that can make somebody work hard and also get partners to rally for a cause,” he said.

Kipchoge’s entry adds further intrigue to the long-standing Kenya-Ethiopia rivalry in distance running. The Kenyan contingent also includes Benson Kipruto, Alexander Mutiso, Albert Korir, and Abel Kipchumba, while Ethiopia fields a team led by Bekele, a three-time Olympic champion.

Although Kipchoge’s recent results have been mixed, he finished ninth at the Sydney Marathon in August, he remains a major figure in the sport. His last victory came at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, a race he has dominated several times and where he once set the world record.