Kipchpoge and Jepchirchir to lead Kenya in defending Olympic marathon titles

Defending Olympic champions Eliud Kipchoge and Peres Jepchirchir will lead team Kenya for this year’s summer games in Paris, France, slated for July 26th and August 11th.

According to the final list announced on Wednesday by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya, Kipchoge, who will be targeting to be the first man to win Olympic gold three times in a row, will be up against the 2024 Tokyo marathon champion Benson Kipruto and the recently crowned London marathon champion Alexander Mutiso, while this year’s Tokyo marathon silver medalist Timothy Kiplagat will be the reserve.

Kipruto, aged 33; Kiplagat, aged 30; and Alex Mutiso will be making their debuts at the Olympic Games, while Kipchoge, aged 39, will be keen to retain his 2020 title.

The women’s team will be led by defending champion Peres Jepchirchir, who also won the 2024 London Marathon title in style by setting the women’s only world record of 2:16:16.

Hellen Obiri, who successfully defended her Boston marathon title besides winning both the Boston and Chicago marathons last year, will be making her Olympic marathon debut after bagging silver in the 5,000m in the 2016 and 2020 Olympic games.

Former world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei is also included in team Kenya for the Paris Olympic Games and will be out to upgrade her 2020 Tokyo Games silver medal.

This year’s Boston Marathon silver medalist, Sharon Lokedi, will be the reserve  for  the women’s team.