Kipchoge determined to pay back goodwill extended to him
Two-time Olympics Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge (in white track suit) jogs with other participants at the Eliud Kipchoge Track and Field that was unveiled at the Nike European headquarters in Netherlands on October 23, 2023.
What you need to know:
- On Thursday, Nike unveiled a bronze statue of Kipchoge at the company’s headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon featuring the athlete’s watch and wrist band encrypted with the words ‘No Human is Limited’
- At the same time, Nike unveiled a track named “Eliud Kipchoge Track” at the company’s European headquarters in the Netherlands
- Kipchoge also said that Nike’s good gesture will certainly inspire the younger generation to continue working hard in sports
Two-time Olympics marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge has said he is determined to scale new heights to pay back the goodwill from his fans and sponsors, among them American sportswear manufacturer Nike which has supported him for the last 20 years.
Kipchoge, who is on a mission to win his third Olympics marathon title in Paris next year after winning at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has been voted one of the greatest marathoners of all time.
On Thursday, Nike unveiled a bronze statue of Kipchoge at the company’s headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon featuring the athlete’s watch and wrist band encrypted with the words ‘No Human is Limited.’
At the same time, Nike unveiled a track named “Eliud Kipchoge Track” at the company’s European headquarters in the Netherlands.
Afterwards, Kipchoge, who is currently on a break after winning Berlin Marathon, spoke of his joy in having a statue erected in his honour, and a running track named after him.
“Having Eliud Kipchoge Track and Field at the European headquarters and the unveiling of a statue (of me) at the Nike headquarters is sign of great love they have shown me. Together for the last 20 years, we have inspired millions of people and innovated a lot to reach the communities. Thank you Nike,” Kipchoge told Nation Sport, adding that Nike has supported his career for the last 20 years since he started running.
A bronze statue of Eliud Kipchoge that was unveiled at the Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, USA, on October 26, 2023.
Kipchoge also said that Nike’s good gesture will certainly inspire the younger generation to continue working hard in sports.
A week ago, Kipchoge was awarded with a prestigious 2023 Princess of Asturias Sports Award in Oviedo, Spain, which he said inspires him to continue running.
The Kaptagat-based athlete, who belongs to the Global Sports Communication stable, has many titles under his belt. He is the first man to run the marathon in under two hours, a feat he achieved in Austria in 2019 in a highly choreographed race dubbed INEOS 1:59 Challenge. He timed 1:59:40.
Kipchoge has broken the world record two times - first in 2018 when he lowered Dennis Kimetto’s record of 2:02:57 in Berlin Marathon where he clocked 2:01:39 for victory, before also lowering his own record at the same race in 2022 when he clocked 2:01:09. The record has since been lowered by Kelvin Kiptum who clocked 2:00:35, becoming the first man to break the 2:01 barrier over 42km.
Kipchoge started his career in the year 2002 where he emerged in fifth position at the World Cross Country Championships in Dublin, Ireland.
He would later compete in various global events in the 5,000m race where he registered mixed results before debuting in marathon in 2013 and he has bagged victory in 11 marathons out of the 15 he has competed in.
