Eliud Kipchoge: Kenya’s marathon icon ‘to inspire’ on world tour

To understand the significance of this moment, it helps to understand the magnitude of Kipchoge’s success.

As well as those Olympic titles, Kipchoge’s honours have included a world title, 11 World Marathon Major victories and two official world records.

In one of sport’s most impressive feats, he became the first person to break the two-hour marathon barrier under special conditions in Vienna in 2019, clocking an unofficial time of one hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds.

“If I look at the last 23 years, the highlight was making history,” he says.

“Not winning medals, not even breaking world records, but opening the minds of people around the world to believe that they are not limited in anything they are doing.”

That belief has become the anchor of his next chapter.

The tour will operate under Eliud’s Running World, a long-term platform designed to promote participation in running while supporting global causes.

Each marathon will raise funds for the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, which focuses on education, environmental sustainability and health.

Kipchoge hopes to raise $1m (£739,000) at every stop, with projects tailored to local needs.

In Kenya, his vision includes building libraries across all 47 counties. In other cities, he wants the tour to leave behind tangible benefits, not just memories.

“I want to leave a legacy of education,” Kipchoge says.

“There is knowledge in books. If we want to think with the outside world, we need to get knowledge and understand how other people are thinking.”

Running a marathon in the extreme Antarctic cold is not something Kipchoge sees as a stunt, but as a statement.

“It is about pushing your limits,” he explains. “I want to show the world that you can still push your limits in anything, even in the toughest conditions.”

Asked whether he is pushing himself too hard, his answer is characteristically direct.

“Life is about pressing on,” he says.

“The moment you stop pressing, it is no longer life.”