For the past 18 years, Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge has thrilled track and field fans around the world. He won marathon gold at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games and set the marathon world record with a time of 2:01:09 at the 2022 Berlin Marathon. He broke his own world record again. These successes are no coincidence, Kipchoge told DW in early 2022 in an exclusive interview on his farm in Kenya.
Surrounded by good people
Above all, he gets love and support from his team, he said: “I get what is necessary for life from my coach Patrick Sang.” He learned from his coach “to trust myself, to treat myself as the best, to live an honest life.” His coach taught him these values early on.
For Kipchoge, it paid off to stick to his integrity and do his best at all times. “In sport, by integrity I mean the courage to face anything in your life. The value of family, the value of self-discipline, the value of consistency. I can’t live without those values.”
dealing with mental health problems
Three great Kenyan athletes have died in the past year. Among them was the record-breaking long-distance runner Agnes Tirop, who was found dead with stab wounds in her stomach. There are also some successful athletes who continue to struggle with mental illnesses, including depression.
Eliud Kipchoge always wants to stay positive – even when there are setbacks
Kipchoge is concerned about this situation and the impact it is having on Kenyan athletes. “I think mental stress is actually increasing in athletes and that’s unfortunate,” he said. “But it’s a result of living by or being surrounded by negative people.”
He himself, on the other hand, has people in his life who support him in dealing better with such issues. “I’ve been surrounded by positive people for the past 18 years, both in and out of sport. I think I’m one of the lucky ones. I’ve actually internalized the right values,” he said. All athletes need to find a way to control their emotions and live a balanced life.
Long-lasting success
After Abebe Bikila (1960 and 1964) and the East German Waldemar Cierpinski (1976 and 1980), Kipchoge is only the third marathon runner to defend his gold medal at the Olympic Games. All of this success and much more has come with some challenges, including injuries and defeats – but quitting is not an option.
Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge (middle) during the award ceremony at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020
However, Kipchoge is ready to inspire younger pros to excel. He loves his country and would like to do more for athletics in Kenya. “I have a vision to make Kenya a running country,” Kipchoge told DW, adding:
“We need people who really respect this profession. We need people to invest in themselves and invest in their families, their friends, their neighbors. At least that’s on my wish list.”
Adapted into German by Olivia Gerstenberger
