Kenyan great wins in 2:09:10 for his first marathon victory since 2023 and says “my body is still peaking”.

Eliud Kipchoge showed there is no sign of him slowing down by winning the Melbourne Marathon in a course record of 2:09:10 on Sunday (Oct 11).

The two-time Olympic champion, 41, took two seconds off the 2:09:12 set by Timothy Kiplagat Ronoh in 2022 on a redesigned course that was flatter, with fewer turns. It was the 17th marathon win of his career and his first since Berlin in 2023.

“I believe that my body is still peaking – still able to compete with the next generation,” said Kipchoge. “The oldest athlete is still competing but I am happy to run with the Gen Zs.”

Kipchoge led a three-man group through halfway in 64:18. The pack was whittled down in the second half, with Kipchoge making his winning move a little before 27km and running the final 15km alone. The route took in part of the Albert Park Formula One circuit and finished inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the venue for the 1956 Olympic Games. Kipchoge slowed to wave to the crowd on the half-lap inside the stadium.

“On the course, it was really wonderful, I enjoyed seeing people standing, cheering and shouting my name,” he said. “It was actually different – running on a beautiful course, but also running on the Formula One track, and above all else, finishing on a cricket ground.”

Australia’s Thomas Do Canto was second in 2:10:35, 1min 25sec behind the winner, with fellow Australian Reece Edwards third.

The race was the third stop on Kipchoge’s “Eliud’s Running World” tour, in which he hopes to run a marathon on all seven continents, including Antarctica, over two years. Each race raises funds for the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, which focuses on education, environmental sustainability and health.

“Today was such a special day, not only running my third World Tour, but also winning in a new race record,” said Kipchoge. “It makes me proud to run with the younger generation and inspire the running community in Melbourne. Today was about more than sport. It was about the energy of the city, the huge support along the race route, running alongside so many other runners, and a stunning finish at the MCG. No words can describe that feeling. Thank you, Melbourne.”

It was a welcome boost after a testing start to the tour, with 2:13:29 for 16th in Cape Town in May and 2:18:42 for 12th in Porto Alegre in July.

Kipchoge’s honours include two Olympic marathon golds, 12 World Marathon Major wins and two official world records. In 2019 he became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours, clocking an unofficial 1:59:40 in Vienna under special conditions.

In the women’s race, New Zealand’s Camille French won in 2:28:25. Australia’s Sinead Diver was second in 2:28:49 and Ireland’s Nichola Sheridan third in 2:29:13. Diver’s course record of 2:25:19 from 2018 still stands.