Kenya's Marathon Team for Paris Olympics 2024: Eliud Kipchoge and Peres Jepchirchir headline men's and women's squads

Modified May 01, 2024 14:46 GMT

Kenya's Marathon Team for the Paris Olympics 2024 has been announced by the Athletics Kenya and the National Olympics Committee (NOC) of Kenya. Defending champions Eliud Kipchoge, and Peres Jepchirchir, will headline the men’s and women’s section at the Summer Olympics 2024.

Kipchoge will be aiming for his third consecutive title at the Paris Olympics 2024 after finishing on top of the podium in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

In the last edition of the Olympics, he won the race with a time of 2:08:38, ahead of the Netherlands’ Abdi Nageeye (2:09:58), and Bashir Abdi of Belgium (2:10:00). The Kenyan legend had claimed the title in Rio with a time of 2:08:44.

It was expected that both Kipchoge and Kelvin Kiptum, the world record holder, would earn spots on Kenya's Marathon Team. However, Kiptum, who had established the world record with a time of 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon in October 2023, tragically lost his life in a road accident in February 2024.

The other two athletes who will join Kenya's Marathon Team in the men’s category are Benson Kipruto and Alex Mutiso. Kipruto is a three-time World Marathon Majors winner, while Mutiso is the London Marathon 2024 winner.

In the women’s event, Jepchirchir, who clinched the women’s title in Tokyo with a time of 2:27:20, will lead the nation. She will be joined by two-time Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri, and Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Brigid Kosgei.

Kenya’s Marathon Team for the Paris Olympics 2024

Men: 1. Eliud Kipchoge, 2. ⁠Benson Kipruto, 3. ⁠Alex Mutiso, Reserve - Timothy Kiplagat

Women: 1. Peres Jepchirchir, 2. Hellen Obiri, 3. Brigid Kosgei, Reserve - Sharon Lokedi

Kenya's Marathon Team at the Olympics

Gold medalist Peres Jepchirchir of Team Kenya, silver medalist Brigid Kosgei of Team Kenya and bronze medalist Molly Seidel of Team United States pose for photos after finishing the Women's Marathon Final on day fifteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Sapporo Odori Park on August 7, 2021 in Sapporo, Japan. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Kenya's Marathon Team is the most successful at the Summer Olympics in the women’s category. They have collected a total of seven medals (two gold, four silver, and one bronze) since the event was included in 1984 in Los Angeles.

Catherine Ndereba has won the most medals, including two silver, for Kenya in the women’s event at the Olympics.

Kenya's Marathon Team (men) stands third in the overall medal tally with a total of eight medals, which includes three gold and three silver each, and two bronze medals.

They are just behind France and Ethiopia, who have four gold medals each, and are positioned first and second in the men’s medal tally at the Olympic Games.