Eliud Kipchoge rebounded to win a specially held marathon at Twente Airport in the Netherlands. He finished with a time of 2:04:30 on Sunday.
What happened?
The NN Mission Marathon was an elite-only race that lacked Kipchoge's top rivals.
The race details
Kipchoge clocked 2:04:30, which is well off his world record of 2:01:39 from the 2018 Berlin Marathon.
Post-race reaction
“It is mission accomplished,” Kipchoge said. “The race was really perfect. The NN Mission Marathon was a real test before Tokyo.
Looking ahead
Kipchoge's focus now shifts to the Olympic marathon in Sapporo on Aug. 8. He will try to become the first runner to repeat as Olympic marathon champion in 41 years.
Eliud Kipchoge has won 12 of his 14 marathons, plus run the only sub-two-hour marathon in history in a non-record-eligible event.
The time of 2:04:30 is the ninth-best time of his career. It would have been a fast enough time for Kipchoge to win his usual spring marathon, London, three of the last four years.
Kipchoge was eighth in the 2020 London Marathon, which was moved to Oct. 4 and shifted to a looped course due to the coronavirus pandemic. He finished in 2:06:49, 67 seconds behind the winner.
Kipchoge made the move to the marathon from the track after failing to make Kenya’s 2012 Olympic team.
At 36 years old, Kipchoge is still a dominant force in the marathon running world.
The Olympic marathon in Sapporo will be a key test for Kipchoge as he seeks to repeat as champion.