Berlin, Germany — "Before I call it quit, I think I have a World Record in me, I am not training because of less things, I am training because I want to push the limit," those are the words of legendary Eliud Kipchoge ahead of Sunday's Berlin Marathon.
The flat course of Berlin is not new to Kipchoge having smashed the World Record twice; in 2018 when he clocked 2:01:39 and last year (2022), clocking 2:01:09 to shed 30 seconds from his previous world record.
Having achieved everything in his marathon career, the only thing remaining is to keep on breaking his own World Record probably now for 'fun'.
"I am still hungry of breaking a world record because breaking it makes history and it's a once in a lifetime chance and that is what makes me happy," Kipchoge said ahead of his sixth appearance at the Berlin Marathon in the German capital.
He added; "Running fast time is what makes me happy, that's what drives me when I wake up every chilly morning to train, it motivates me to finish my training, I have never missed training even jogging, it's a sacrifice because I want the best."
This might be Kipchoge's last race before he graces the Paris 2024 Olympic Games next year where he targets to write history as the first man to win three gold medals back-to-back.
Kipchoge joined Ethiopia's Abebe Bikila (1960, 1964) and Germany's Waldemar Cierpinski (1976, 1980) when he defended Tokyo 2020 Olympics title as the only three athletes to achieve a repeat.
Kipchoge, the 38-year-old says marathon keeps him going and whenever he loses a race he considers it as a failure, but that on the other end it motivates him to work even harder.
"Marathon is about taking a risk because I train for six months hoping to run a fast time and win but if I don't, I consider it as a failure," Kipchoge stated.
"But for me, I have achieved a lot... trying to run a marathon under an hour is a risk, I train hard to win the race, if I fail, I wake up and try to better it, that's why in the last 10 years I have run a lot of 2:02, I have broken the world record twice, ran under 2 hours once (INEOS 1:59), so I am not afraid of failing," Kipchoge revealed.
Kipchoge went on... "I define failure for myself, when I am training, I am training as the best. I always aim to run the fastest time to win the race, but if I don't win then, I actually treat it as a failure, but I usually have hope, I believe I will rise again when I fail."
"Being patient is knowing tomorrow something good will happen. I have no control of the past; I have to work and focus for today and the future. Marathon needs commitment because training is a sacrifice, it needs determination and focus."
"When I retire, I will be remembered as one who made this earth a running world, I think running is what can make people physically and mentally fit."
The 2023 Berlin Marathon sees Kipchoge as the favorite to defend his title, because only his compatriot, Amos Kipruto, the 2022 London Marathon champion has the second-fastest time (2:03:13) in the field.
Other Kenyans in the race are Jonathan Maiyo (2:04:56), Eliud Kiptanui (2:05:21), Ronald Korir (2:05:37), Philemon Kiplimo (2:05:44), Enock Onchari (2:05:47), Mark Korir (2:05:49), Josphat Boit (2:06:34), Abel Kipchumba (2:06:49), Denis Chirchir (2:07:17), Justus Kangogo (2:07:40), Titus Kipkosgei (2:07:46), Dominic Nyairo (2:08:13).
Berlin Marathon 2023 Prize Money Breakdown
Men and Women each
First place: $50,000 (Ksh7.3 million)
Second place: $25,500 (Ksh 3.7 million)
Third place: $12,500 (Ksh 1.8 million)
Fourth place: $7,500 (Ksh 1.1 million)
Fifth place: $5,000 (Ksh 737,000)
Sixth place to tenth place: $3,000 (Ksh 442,500) each
-Men Elite fields-
Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:01:09
Amos Kipruto (KEN) 2:03:13
Jonathan Maiyo (KEN) 2:04:56
Eliud Kiptanui (KEN) 2:05:21
Ghirmay Ghebreslassie (ERI) 2:05:34
Ronald Korir (KEN) 2:05:37
Tadu Abate (ETH) 2:05:38
Philemon Kiplimo (KEN) 2:05:44
Enock Onchari (KEN) 2:05:47
Mark Korir (KEN) 2:05:49
Andualem Shiferaw (ETH) 2:05:52
Haftu Teklu (ETH) 2:05:53
Amanal Petros (GER) 2:06:27
Josphat Boit (KEN) 2:06:34
Tadesse Abraham (SUI) 2:06:38
Andamlak Belihu (ETH) 2:06:40
Okubay Tsegay (ERI) 2:06:46
Abel Kipchumba (KEN) 2:06:49
Yusuke Ogura (JPN) 2:06:51
Denis Chirchir (KEN) 2:07:17
Justus Kangogo (KEN) 2:07:40
Titus Kipkosgei (KEN) 2:07:46
Godadaw Belachew (ISR) 2:07:54
Dominic Nyairo (KEN) 2:08:13
John Hakizimana (RWA) 2:08:18
Guojian Dong (CHN) 2:08:28
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Liam Adams (AUS) 2:08:39
Scott Fauble (USA) 2:08:52
Mehdi Frere (FRA) 2:08:55
Byambajav Tseveenravdan (MGL) 2:09:03
Jared Ward (USA) 2:09:25
Yimer Getahun (ISR) 2:09:27
Michael Somers (BEL) 2:09:31
Stephen Scullion (IRL) 2:09:49
Jianhua Peng (CHN) 2:09:57
Eulalio Munoz (ARG) 2:09:59
Jacob Riley (USA) 2:10:02
Tiidrek Nurme (EST) 2:10:02
Bohdan-Ivan Horodyskyi (UKR) 2:10:14
Bart van Nunen (NED) 2:10:16 33
Thomas De Bock (BEL) 2:10:17
Hendrik Pfeiffer (GER) 2:10:18
Yared Shegumo (POL) 2:10:34
Lemawork Ketema (AUT) 2:10:44
Samuel Fitwi (GER) 2:12:14
Konstantin Wedel (GER) 2:13:02
Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich (KEN) Debut
Tadese Takele (ETH) Debut
-Alex Isaboke is reporting from Berlin, Germany-
