Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge returns to Japan for Tokyo Marathon

Eliud Kipchoge will race in the Tokyo Marathon for the first time on 6 March 2022.

The Kenyan defended his Olympic marathon gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in August 2021, in a race that took place in Sapporo. Kipchoge returns to Japan for what will be his first World Marathon Major race in Asia.

“My focus has been on Tokyo from the beginning of my training cycle, and I can say I am ready to race there," Kipchoge posted on his official Twitter account.

"I am very excited to run in a country where running is a crucial part of the sports culture and looking forward to experiencing the Japanese excitement for running the marathon in particular,” said Kipchoge whose Olympic win was his 13th men's race victory in 15 starts.

In Tokyo, Kipchoge will race the third-fastest marathon runner, Birhanu Legese (2:02:48), and the fourth-fastest marathon runner, Mosinet Geremew (2:02:55), both from Ethiopia.

Kenya's 2019 world marathon bronze medalist Amos Kipruto is also among the confirmed elite road-running entries.

After achieving Olympic glory at Rio 2016 and becoming the first man to complete a marathon in under two hours, the world marathon record holder set a target of competing and winning all six World Marathon Majors.

The four-time Olympic medallist has already won London a record four times, topped Berlin thrice including his 2:01:39 world record win in 2019, and was victorious in Chicago in 2014.

In January, Kipchoge confirmed that he will compete at his third Olympics in Paris 2024.

The 37-year-old seeks to become the first man to win three Olympic gold medals in the marathon**.**

“I still have something boiling in my stomach that’s why I am looking forward to it. I still want to run I want to be the first human to run and (win) three consecutive Olympics," he said.