Eliud Kipchoge on pressure to win his debut Sydney race
His desire to accomplish new goals drove him to register for his penultimate World Marathon Major race down under, with the hope of collecting his seven star in the near future in New York.
For Kipchoge, crossing the finish line first at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt would be “nice,” but he now has a deeper understanding of what truly matters. He’s resolute in his commitment to furthering his career, which bears all the hallmarks of a marathon, not a sprint.
“What I am doing now is what I would advise the younger me, ‘Just have more patience, more determination and stay disciplined’,” he told Olympics.com.
“It’s a huge pressure for me to win the race, but there’s more pressure for me, to inspire more people to take up running.
“For me, there’s more pressure to show the people in Australia and beyond what’s needed to enjoy running and showcase my longevity as far as marathon running is concerned.”
Kipchoge has been on top of the world and not looking for an exit soon.
He is aware that marathons have become super competitive and intense, and the runner who always aims to be at 80 per cent fit, a level he achieved one month out to his next race, still craves some dominance.
There’s a chance we could see some of the Kipchoge magic that won over millions of fans when he lines up on Sunday, 31 August, in the harbour city. With an elevation of about 317m, Sydney has the highest gain of any World Marathon Major race.
“I think we will run a good course in Sydney, despite it being a tough course, up and down,”he reckoned.
“But the course record is 2:06, and I think we can push to run a good time in honour of the city joining the World Marathon Majors.”