Eliud Kipchoge: “I’m not thinking about the record, I’m focused on the Olympic Games”

The Kenyan Eliud Kipchogeworld marathon record holder (2h.01:09), announced this Thursday that he does not think he will break the world record for the distance again, but that all his “energy” is invested in trying to win his third Olympic gold in Paris 2024.

Kipchoge, who on September 24 won the marathon Berlin for the fifth time, surpassing the Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie, winning four consecutive times in the German city between 2006 and 2009, he is focused on the Paris 2024 Olympic event.

“I put all my energy into Olympic Games in Paris. My mind right now is not on the possibility of breaking the record again or thinking about what marathon I will prepare for after the Games,” said the NN Running Team athlete, in a virtual press conference with several media outlets , including EFE.

The Kenyan athlete, awarded this year by Princess of Asturias Sports Awardspoke about what it means to him to receive this award Oviedo.

“Receiving this award was a surprise. I didn’t know how important it was but after being notified I looked to see who won and when I saw one of them was Nelson Mandela I realized how important it is. I’m looking forward to traveling to Spain to receive it,” he admitted.

Kipchoge, who admitted he feels “a lot of pressure” every time he competes, said a “good challenge” for the future is running an ultramarathon.

“I want to try it as soon as possible. An eighty kilometer race, for example. It’s good to try new things,” said Kipchoge, where being a reference for new generations is something that “has will motivate.”

“I like to know that I motivated generations after mine. I want to continue motivating myself to remain competing at this level for a long time,” he concluded.