Eliud Kipchoge set his sights sky-high as a young boy. Yet, his 3km daily trek to secondary school in Kenya did little to ignite his passion for running. Instead, a relentless pursuit of excellence shaped his journey from humble beginnings to marathon legend. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Kipchoge’s pursuit of glory faced a crushing blow. His dreams turned disastrous as the marathon legend encountered unexpected setbacks. Known for his dominance in long-distance running, Kipchoge’s bid for Olympic success faltered, leaving fans and experts stunned.

By the halfway mark, he was in 58th place, more than a minute behind the lead group. Watching the marathon GOAT and the defending champion struggling was tough. Yet, Kipchoge’s words resonate, “Pain is everywhere, but you win marathons in preparations. The more you get a lot of pain, but you hit your targets in a good way.” World Athletics announced the shocking development on their official X handle.

Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia won gold with an Olympic record time of 2:06.26, marking the country’s first gold of these Games. Belgium’s Bashit Abdi took silver, while Kenya’s Benson Kipruto claimed bronze with a time of 2:07:00 in his Olympic debut. Father Time may be unbeaten, but Kipchoge’s perseverance and spirit continue to inspire athletes worldwide. Since embarking upon the arduous path of the marathoner, Kipchoge – having dominated sixteen races out of his twenty starts – has never allowed pain. Eliud Kipchoge wanted to start his ambitious quest for Olympic marathon history this Saturday morning at 9 am Kenyan time as he took to the streets of Paris to compete in the men’s event. Now pursuing an unprecedented third straight title, Kipchoge needed to rise above the challenges of his up-and-down year to cement his name among the greatest of all time.

As he prepares to immerse himself in the final run, his perseverance, dedication, and supreme talent will be tested. “It’s tough being at the top… You need to have the sixth sense for you to stay at the top.” But, all his dreams have shattered as he grapples with sudden injury. He fell behind because of back pain. The Kenyan legend could not surpass Eyob Faniel and Tamirat Tola in the halfway stage. It is such a heartbreaking incident in Marathon history that everyone is crippled with emotions. Critics and fans are overwhelmed with emotions following his unexpected setback. A post from CITIUS MAG on X, simply captioned, “Eliud Kipchoge DNF. #Paris2024 #Olympics #Athletics,” captured the heartbreaking moment when Kipchoge, usually unstoppable, stepped away from the marathon. The news hit fans hard, leaving them with a deep sense of sadness.

On his performance, fans have mixed reactions; a few are still praising him, and some are throwing jabs at him. A fan wrote on X, “Not the Olympics farewell he wanted but what an icon Eliud Kipchoge has been, the best marathon event has ever seen.” However, some are really frustrated and do not hesitate to say that he is making excuses, which is not fair at all in the games when it is, in fact, on the global stage. Another fan wrote on X, “What excuse will Eliud Kipochge have today? Another ear problem?” Therefore, the question remains: will his legacy end here, or how will he perform in the future? 

From Marathon legend to Paris heartbreak: Eliud Kipchoge’s unexpected Olympics struggles

Eliud Kipchoge, regarded as the greatest marathoner ever, has redefined the 42.1km race. He burst onto the scene in 2003, winning the 5,000m world title at 18, and debuted in the Olympics in Athens a year later. In 2019, Kipchoge became the first man to run a marathon in under two hours, clocking 1:59:40 in Vienna. This historic achievement secured his legendary status. Beyond this, Kipchoge has won major marathons in London, Chicago and Berlin and earned back-to-back Olympic gold medals in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. On his Olympic journey, Kipchoge said, “I will be the happiest on earth to win an Olympic medal for the third time, back-to-back-to-back. It’s about making history; it’s about inspiring a generation.”

At 37, Kipchoge set a new official record of 2:01:09 before Kelvin Kiptum surpassed it in 2023 with a time of 2:00:35 in Chicago. Now, at 39, Kipchoge faces a challenging season but remains determined to prove he is still the greatest marathoner of our generation. Kipchoge’s career remains defined by remarkable victories despite his struggle in Paris. He secured 12 major marathon wins from 2014 to 2023 and earned numerous prestigious awards. Despite a decade of dominance, his latest Olympic quest ended in disappointment as he couldn’t finish the race.

As Kipchoge faced this unexpected outcome, the spotlight shifted to other Kenyan athletes, especially Beatrice Chebet. The 24-year-old shone in the women’s 10,000m, winning gold with a time of 30 minutes and 43.25 seconds. This victory followed her earlier gold in the 5,000m. “This 10,000m gold medal is the most important medal in my life,” Chebet said. “I came here targeting the 10,000m gold medal, not a gold in 5,000m.” Her words show the focus and determination she brought to the Games. There’s more hope for Kenya later on Saturday as Faith Kipyegon aims to defend her 1,500m title and possibly become the first athlete to win gold in the same event three times in a row.