The two-time Olympic champion secured his first marathon victory since the 2023 Berlin Marathon, finishing two seconds faster than the previous Melbourne course record.
The 41-year-old, widely regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners in history, pulled away from his Australian challengers in the latter stages of the race before crossing the finish line at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where he was welcomed by cheering spectators.
Australian Thomas Do Canto finished second in 2:10:35, while compatriot Reece Edwards took third place in 2:14:33.
Kipchoge said he enjoyed the course and the support from spectators who lined the route to cheer him on.
“On the course, it was really wonderful; I enjoyed seeing people standing, cheering, and shouting my name,” he said after the race.
The Kenyan runner said he deliberately increased his pace in the latter stages to test his ability to challenge the course record.
“I believe that my body is still peaking, still able to compete with the next generation. The oldest athlete is still competing, but I am happy to run with the Gen Zs,” he said.
“I increased the pace after 30km to see whether I can run well and beat the race record. My plan went well.”
Despite having the opportunity to finish faster, Kipchoge slowed down as he approached the finish inside the MCG, waving to spectators who had gathered to witness his victory.
The race featured a course that partly used the Albert Park circuit, which hosts the Australian Formula One Grand Prix, before finishing at the iconic cricket ground.
His Melbourne victory marked the third stop on his global running tour, an initiative he announced in 2025 to compete in marathons across all seven continents, including Antarctica, over two years.
The project, known as Eliud’s Running World, aims to connect him with runners and communities around the world while promoting the unifying power of sport.
His Melbourne victory followed a challenging start to the tour. He launched his global campaign in May at the Cape Town Marathon in South Africa, his first competitive marathon on African soil, where he finished 16th in 2:13:29.
He subsequently competed at the Porto Alegre Marathon in Brazil on July 12,
placing 12th in 2:18:04.
New Zealand’s Camille French won the women’s race in Melbourne in 2:28:25. Australia’s Sinead Diver finished second in 2:28:49, while Ireland’s Nichola Sheridan took third place in 2:29:13.
Kipchoge is a two-time Olympic marathon champion, having won gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021.
He also held the men’s marathon world record after running 2:01:09 at the 2022 Berlin Marathon, improving on the 2:01:39 he had set at the same event in 2018. His record was subsequently broken by fellow Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, who clocked 2:00:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
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