Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge has been hailed for his sportsmanship after he waited for the last runner during the Paris Olympics men’s marathon race.
Kipchoge, who dropped out of the race, stood on the sidelines as he waited for the last runners to pass before leaving the race.
Mongolian athlete Ser-Od Bat-Ochir finished last in the event and the Kipchoge was there to welcome him.
Kipchoge waited for Bat-Ochir to cross the finish due to his respect for the sport to honour his fellow athletes.
The crowd at the race cheered Kipchoge with a rapturous reception as he climbed into a waiting van and said goodbye to the fans.
Eliud Kipchoge has called time on his Olympic marathon career.
Kipchoge said he won’t compete at another Olympics after failing to finish a race on Saturday, August 10, for the first time in his illustrious career at the Paris 2024 games.
“It is a difficult time for me,”
“This is my worst marathon. I have never done a DNF (did not finish). That’s life. Like a boxer, I have been knocked down, I have won, I have come second, eighth, 10th, fifth – now I did not finish. That’s life,”
“I don’t know what next. I need to go back [home], sit down, and try to figure out my 21 years of running at a high level. I need to evolve and feature in other things.” Kipchoge said.
