‘I’ll squeeze remaining juice from the orange,’ Kipchoge says ready for strong comeback

‘I’ll squeeze remaining juice from the orange,’ Kipchoge says ready for strong comeback

Athletics - Berlin Marathon - Berlin, Germany - September 24, 2023 Gold medallist Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge on the podium after winning the Berlin Marathon REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

Marathon icon Eliud Kipchoge says he will dust himself off and keep his head up despite a disappointing performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, saying he "accepted and learned from the outcome."

Speaking on Citizen TV’s JKL on Wednesday night, the two-time Olympic champion said he was back and aiming high once again following his "worst marathon performance" ever in Paris.

"With sport, today you are down, tomorrow you are up. You know, they say if you want to enjoy sport, you must accept the outcome. I accepted it, I have learned from it, am still learning, and I trust that I will squeeze every last drop of juice from that orange and move forward," Kipchoge affirmed.

The marathon gold medalist in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 was eyeing a Olympic third peat in Paris but withdrew from the race around the 30 km mark due to a back injury.

"In sports, like in life, the marathon is a long journey. Just like the road, there are potholes and bumps—you can hit obstacles. It's like driving a car: if you don’t know when to brake or how to use your mirrors, you might crash. Sports is learning, and its education. In 2025, I’m still a student, and I’ll keep learning," he added.

The former world marathon record holder however did not reveal his plans for 2025.

“As I said, sports is a learning process every day and so I’ll be learning more in 2025.”

Kipchoge added that the Chepsaita Great Run set for this Saturday will be a game-changer in talent development, even as it called for more athletics events across the country.

“We need more of this and if we give our people the platforms then we will uplift our sports. I’m happy because this event incorporates education. Education is an important element of sports and both go hand in hand.”

"I think the future of sport in Kenya is bright. With the introduction of camps, if those running them can properly guide and follow up with the kids—say, if it’s 50 kids, let them be accounted for—not just in running but in all sports, and if we can avoid inaction, we will go far," he added.

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Eliud Kipchoge Paris Olympics Chepsaita

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