Renowned marathoner Eliud Kipchoge has broken his silence for the first time, a week after the funeral of fellow long-distance athlete Kelvin Kiptum.
Though he did not personally attend the funeral, Kipchoge spoke out during a press conference in Tokyo on Friday, March 1.
"His career was flourishing, and he was truly performing at an elite level," Kipchoge remarked.
As he continued to prepare for his second return to the Tokyo Marathon, an event he dominated in 2021, Kipchoge paid tribute to Kiptum, acknowledging the unfortunate event that befell his fellow athlete.
"There were high expectations," he further commented.
However, he further also clarified that the July 2024 Olympics won't be the same without Kiptum even though he hasn't started training for the race himself.
"A little bit different" Kipchoge opened up over the Olympics that is set for July this year.
Meanwhile, other international athletes have also come forward to pay tribute to the late Kiptum as they prepare for their race on Sunday, including Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands.
Reinstating Kipchoge's renowned quote "Nothing is Impossible" Hassan mourned the athlete claiming it was still hard to believe that he was no more.
"He was so young, and he was demonstrating to the world what was achievable. It's incredibly difficult," Hassan commented.
Kelvin Kiptum and Eliud Kipchoge were both anticipated to compete in the Olympics for the first time after Athletics Kenya revealed the team representing Kenya in Paris in January of this year.
In the aftermath of Kiptum's passing, the organization has yet to find a replacement for the spot, leaving the other athletes with only three months remaining before the event.
