Interestingly, this will be the first time the 40-year-old great, who has conquered most of the world’s major marathons, will be racing in the city’s demanding course. It is the largest marathon in the world, with 53,627 finishers in 2019, and 98,247 applicants for the 2017 race.
Along with the Boston Marathon and Chicago Marathon, New York is among the pre-eminent long-distance annual running events in the United States and is one of the World Marathon Majors.
Kipchoge, who switched to road running in 2012 and made the second-fastest half marathon debut ever, at 59:25, will be eager to leave a mark in New York.
A win in the USA, would not only complete his collection of major titles but further solidify his legacy as the sport’s defining figure of the modern era. On his marathon debut, Kipchoge won the 2013 Hamburg Marathon in a course record time.
New York Marathon has been on my mind
Kipchoge, who is the 2016 and 2020 Olympic marathon champion, and was the world record holder in the marathon from 2018 to 2023, until that record was broken by the late Kelvin Kiptum at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, says he is looking forward to have a great race in New York.
“November, and it’s New York…It’s a place that has been on my mind for a long time. It’s time for me to go there and get a Seven Star (award) before embarking on my new journey of running for other things - running for a purpose,” Kipchoge, who has run four of the 10 fastest marathons in history, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest marathon runners of all time, told Olympics.com.
“I’m really ready to run well. I will be trying to be on the podium, (for me) it’s like any other serious, normal race. I will fight to run in a good way on the streets of New York. It’s not about just participating, it's about competition.”
Kipchoge’s last marathon triumph came at the 2023 Berlin Marathon after he clocked 2:02:42. However, in New York, he will face stiff competition from his Ethiopian rival Kenenisa Bekele, the third-fastest man in history, who clocked his 2:01:41 Personal Best in Berlin in 2019.
Kenya’s Olympic bronze medallist Benson Kipruto, a 2:02:16 performer and winner in Tokyo (2024), Chicago (2022) and Boston (2021), will also parade in New York alongside Alexander Mutiso, with a best of 2:03:11. Defending champion Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands will return to protect his crown.
“It’s up and down, but with two million people lining up the streets, they should somehow help you push. I think it will be a beautiful course,” continued Kipchoge.
“I didn’t have to change my training for this, as I still believe I have the mileage in my muscles after the Sydney marathon. So, it was mainly just changing my mind to accept that I can run three marathons in a year...and then I decided to go for it.
“What I am aiming for is to show the young people you can still push limits and do more marathons.”
Asked whether New York will be his last marathon, Kipchoge responded: “Absolutely yes!”
He added: “A lot is in store which I will roll out after New York…it will be an interesting journey...to do other things.”
At the age of eighteen, Kipchoge became the senior 5000 m world champion at the 2003 World Championships with a championship record, then followed by an Olympic bronze for Kenya in 2004 and a bronze at the 2006 World Indoor Championships.
