He made it his mission to touch race courses on all seven continents and on Sunday, Eliud Kipchoge proved that he could still top a podium as he won the Melbourne Marathon in a 2:09:10 course record.
The 41-year-old distance racing legend showed trademark glimpses of a stored career where his dominant performances captivated marathon host cities and his effort in Melbourne was a reminder that he still remains one of the marquee names in the sport.
Through the first 5km of the race, Kipchoge was joined by a small men’s lead pack that included Thomas Do Canto, Reece Edwards and James Whelan, and crossed the mark in 5:18 and the group would hold steady as they moved past the halfway point in 1:04:18 point while Edwards faded back.
But Kipchoge continued to work the group one by one as he and Whelan surged through the 25km mark at 1:16:03 as Thomas Do Canto trailed and was 26 seconds behind. Whelan would be the final challenge for Kipchoge, who refused to let the race come down to a late scramble for the win and pushed the pace at 1:31:08 as he powered through the 30km marker and found himself all alone.
With Whelan well off his pace, the title was in view as Kipchoge bolted through the 40km point at 2:02:13 and padded his lead by nearly a minute and a half. As he entered the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the roar of the crowd inside could already be heard and Kipchoge waved as he rounded the final stretch, broke the tape and came just under Timothy Kiplagat’s 2022 course record.
Kipchoge was mobbed by the media at the finish area and rushed over to the stands where he was congratulated by fans.
“The crowd was actually awesome, it’s wonderful,” Kipchoge said during the broadcast after the race. “I enjoyed seeing people standing, cheering, shouting my name. I think the course actually was wonderful all around.”
He also looked back on his time in the city, where he attended several events during a packed weekend of races that included a half marathon, wheelchair marathon, 10K, 5K, 3K and children’s one-kilometer race.
“I enjoyed Melbourne,” Kipchoge said. “For the last four days I have been actually mixing with people, talking with people and going around to enjoy the city; see, experience the culture. But above all, I’ve given back to Melbourne’s people by running a course record which is good to tell the young generation that you need to push yourself.”
Shortly after the 2025 New York City Marathon, a race largely considered as his final act as a world class competitor, Kipchoge said he would turn his attention to connecting with the running community. And he believed that going all over the world and taking part in races on each continent would be his contribution after winning 11 majors and two Olympic gold medals.
At the time, he looked at his Eliud’s Running World tour as a way to bridge his massive influence in the sport with the fans who have cheered for him throughout his career but also share a passion for distance running as they navigate their own running journeys.
“With this World Tour, I want to compete not only for records, but for the people,” Kipchoge said in his announcement of the tour. “I want to continue to push myself to run at my best, but I also want to inspire, give back, and remind everyone that no human is limited in every corner of the world. I believe that we can all come together and become a better world.”
Kipchoge ran the Cape Town Marathon in May, his first marathon in Africa, finishing in 16th place in 2:13:29 and later took on the Porto Alegre Marathon in July where he finished 12th in 2:18:42.
2026 Melbourne Marathon Results
Men’s Elite Finishers
1. Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) – 2:09:10
2. Thomas Do Canto (Australia) – 2:10:35
3. Reece Edwards (Australia) – 2:14:33
4. Bailey Murzecki-Hince (Australia) – 2:15:05
5. James Whelan (Australia) – 2:17:03
6. Steven McKenna (Australia) – 2:17:54
7. Tom Bowers (Australia) – 2:17:59
8. Benjamin Beischer (Australia) – 2:18:23
9. Ryan Gregson (Australia) – 2:19:03
10. Abdi Rhoble (Somalia) – 2:19:10
Women’s Elite Finishers
1. Camille French (New Zealand) – 2:28:25
2. Sinead Diver (Australia) – 2:28:49
3. Nichola Sheridan (Ireland) – 2:29:13
4. Rebecca Lowe (Australia) – 2:29:31
5. Abigail Nordberg (Australia) – 2:32:53
6. Eloise Wellings (Australia) – 2:36:15
7. Kate Mason (Australia) – 2:37:08
8. Jennifer Clancy (Ireland) – 2:39:18
9. Georgina Torey (Australia) – 2:39:20
10. Melanie Townsend (Australia) – 2:41:42
