Kipchoge Breaks Melbourne Marathon Record

Kenyan distance-running star Eliud Kipchoge won the Melbourne Marathon in a record time of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 10 seconds. The two-time Olympic champion and former world record holder pulled away from the field in the final 10 kilometres of the 42.2km race, finishing two seconds faster than the previous event record. He might have run faster, the article notes, but waved to spectators during the final lap inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Australians Thomas Do Canto and Reece Edwards finished second and third, in 2:10:35 and 2:15:57 respectively. New Zealand’s Camille French won the women’s race in 2:28:25. Australia’s Sinead Diver placed second, 23 seconds behind French, and Ireland’s Nichola Sheridan finished third, another 24 seconds back. The course passed along St Kilda Road, by Flinders Street Station and around Albert Park Lake before finishing inside the MCG. Kipchoge, 41, had not won a marathon since 2023. He appeared relaxed after the race and spent several minutes greeting fans beside the MCG boundary. He said finishing at the stadium was especially meaningful because it hosted the marathon start and finish at the 1956 Olympics, exactly 70 years earlier. Kipchoge described his visit as a celebration of that anniversary and invited Melburnians to run together at the MCG. The race was Kipchoge’s first Melbourne Marathon and only his second visit to Australia. It forms part of his world tour, in which he is running a marathon on each of the seven continents, including Antarctica.

Eliud Kipchoge won the Melbourne Marathon on October 11, 2026, claiming his first marathon victory since Berlin in 2023. The 41-year-old Kenyan, a two-time Olympic champion and former world-record holder, finished in 2 hours, 9 minutes and 10 seconds—two seconds faster than the race record. He pulled away from the field in the final 10 kilometres and slowed near the finish to wave to spectators inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The race was the third stop on Kipchoge’s “World Tour,” a project he announced in 2025 to run marathons on all seven continents, including Antarctica, over two years and raise money for causes he supports. Melbourne followed stops in South Africa and Brazil. The route included part of the Australian Formula One circuit at Albert Park before finishing at the MCG, a combination Kipchoge described as enjoyable and distinctive. Kipchoge said he believes his body is still peaking and that he can compete with younger runners. He explained that he increased his pace after 30 kilometres to test his form and see whether he could beat the course record; he said the plan went well. Australian runners Thomas Do Canto and Reece Edwards placed second and third in the men’s race, finishing in 2:10:35 and 2:14:33, respectively. In the women’s race, New Zealand’s Camille French won in 2:28:25. Australia’s Sinead Diver finished second in 2:28:49, while Ireland’s Nichola Sheridan took third in 2:29:13. The article presents Kipchoge’s win as both a notable return to marathon victory and another milestone in his international tour.

Eliud Kipchoge won the Melbourne Marathon in 2:09:10, setting a course record by two seconds and claiming his first marathon victory in three years. The 41-year-old Kenyan, a two-time Olympic champion and former world-record holder, made his debut at the event and said he remains capable of competing with younger runners. He ran alongside former Australian professional cyclist Jimmy Whelan until around the 30km mark, then increased his pace and pulled away. Kipchoge celebrated with fans at the MCG finish, praising Melbourne’s enthusiastic crowd and sporting culture. He said he had deliberately raised the pace after 30km to test himself and pursue the record, and was pleased that his plan worked. The race is the third stop on a world tour in which Kipchoge intends to run a marathon on every continent, including Antarctica. During his visit, he also took part in community activities and experienced several aspects of Melbourne’s sporting life. He said he hopes to return to watch tennis, Formula One and cricket. Australia’s Thomas Do Canto finished second in the men’s race in 2:10:35, while Whelan placed fifth. New Zealand’s Camille French won the women’s race in 2:28:25, ahead of Australia’s Sinead Diver. Seth O’Donnell of Australia and Georgie Gregec of New Zealand won the half-marathon titles. The article also reports a separate incident near the route: a woman was taken to hospital after being struck by a car near Flinders Street station. The driver reportedly drove erratically, hit the woman and left after making a U-turn. Police officers nearby reportedly drew their weapons. The woman was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital, and her condition was not known.