Eliud Kipchoge has suffered a major blow in preparations for the Paris Olympics after running perhaps the worst marathon of his matchless career in Tokyo.
The 39-year-old Kenyan legend, who’s hoping to go for a third straight gold in Paris, could only finish 10th in the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday.
Kenya hasn’t named its marathon team for the Games, but Kipchoge looked a shadow of his former self as he crossed the line in two hours, six minutes and 50 seconds.
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He finished more than four minutes behind compatriot Benson Kipruto, who won in a course-record 2:02:16, with another Kenyan, Timothy Kiplagat, second in 2:02:55.
Tenth place was his worst ever finish in a marathon, leaving Kipchoge to shrug afterwards: “That’s how it is — not every day is Christmas Day”.
Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede won the women’s race, also in a course record time of 2:15:55, while Dutch great Sifan Hassan missed the podium.
The 2021 Boston and 2022 Chicago winner Kipruto improved his personal best by almost two minutes as he led a Kenyan podium sweep from Kiplagat and Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich.
Kebede improved her personal best by more than two minutes ahead of last year’s winner Rosemary Wanjiru, of Kenya, with Ethiopian world champion Amane Beriso third.
Hassan, a twice world and Olympic champion on the track and London and Chicago Marathon winner last year, was dropped by the top three shortly before the 30km mark but held on to finish fourth with a deficit, two minutes and 10 seconds down.