Kipchoge outlines future career goals

Two-time Olympics marathon champion and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge says that winning a third Olympics marathon title is one of his future dreams even as he looks to settle in his ambassadorial roles and becoming an inspiration to the world's youth. 

Kipchoge, the only athlete to have run a marathon in less than two hours, an unofficial record, a race he competed in just to show the world that no human is limited says his World Athletics (WA) recognised world record in the classic distance (2:01:39) will be broken, even if he won't be the one to do it. 

"A sub-two-hour marathon (in an official race) is something to aim for, but if I don’t do it then I’m sure someone else will.

There are many people who could break my marathon world record. I think Geoffrey Kamworor will one day break the world record. Joshua Cheptegei will also make his mark in the marathon and Kenenisa Bekele will still be there," said Kipchoge in an interview with WA of his three teammates at NN Running Team. 

Kipchoge became just the third person to defend the Olympics marathon in Tokyo when he raced to victory in a somewhat solo race to finish 80 seconds ahead of Abdi Nageeye and Bashir Abdi of Netherlands and Belgium respectively. 

The other two are Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia took gold at the 1960 Rome Games while running barefoot, and again in Tokyo in 1964, this time in shoes, and famously performed calisthenics in the infield.

Waldemar Cierpinski of the former East Germany won the marathon at the 1976 Montreal Games and the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

"Winning back-to-back Olympic golds was a great goal to have, and although I would like to win a third one, I also have other goals on my bucket list. One is to run all of the Marathon Majors and win them all," Kipchoge revealed. 

The marathoner, regarded as greatest of all time (GOAT) says he has never thought about the half marathon world record, but would like to improve his Personal Best 59:25 in the distance and run 58 minutes or better. 

Kipchoge further says that he enjoyed his 10 years on the track and is satisfied with the results he got. 

"I won a world title in the 5000m, Olympic bronze and silver over 5000m, and silver at the Commonwealth Games. I also ran fast times and set a championship record with my world title in 2003, so I believe I left my mark on the track and I have no regrets about moving to the roads when I did," he offered. 

When probed about his participation next year, he kept his plans safely guarded saying, "The season is just getting started and it’s too early at this stage to make a final decision about next year’s World Championships."