Eliud Kipchoge and Peres Jepchirchir named in Kenya's final Paris 2024 Olympics marathon squad

By Evelyn Watta
3 min|
Eliud Kipchoge is aiming for a third Olympic marathon title
Picture by REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq

Olympic gold medallists Eliud Kipchoge and Peres Jepchirchir will lead Kenya’s marathon team to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Athletics Kenya and the National Olympics Committee of Kenya named the final squad of six on Wednesday (May 1).

Two-time defending Olympic marathon champion Kipchoge headlines the men’s list, following the death of world record holder Kelvin Kiptum. The two men were expected to challenge for the gold medal in the Olympic race scheduled for 10 August.

Kiptum died in a road accident aged 24 in February, five months after lowering the world record to 2:00:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.

Former world record holder Kipchoge is joined by Benson Kipruto and the newly crowned London Marathon champion Alexander Munyao.

Timothy Kiplagat has been listed as a reserve.

Kipchoge, who will be targeting an unprecedented third consecutive title in Paris, headlines the team as the fastest marathoner alive. Kipruto, who was second behind the late Kiptum in Chicago, is the fifth fastest of all-time.

"I always say the Olympic dream is a special dream," said the Kipchoge.

He then added: "The Olympic Games is what we all dream of as little kids starting out with our sport and is what motivates us the most today. I am beyond proud to be selected for the Kenyan team for the 5th time in my life. After winning the marathon gold medal in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo, my focus will now be on Paris!"

Munyao was included in the team following his victory at the Prague Marathon last year before rounding off his season with a second place in Valencia. Last month he beat Olympic campion Kenenisa Bekele in London, his first win in a World Marathon Major.

The reigning women’s London Marathon winner, Jepchirchir, leads the women's team, which comprises the Boston and New York 2024 Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri.

Former world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei, who took silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, was a surprise inclusion in the team. She finished fifth behind Jepchirchir in London last month, but her course record at the Abu Dhabi Marathon prompted her selection for the team, which has Sharon Lokedi down as the reserve.

Lokedi, the 2022 New York Marathon winner, was second in London this year.

The women's Olympic race will take place on 11 August, the day after the men's marathon.