This is sport, I’ll be back to the top- Eliud Kipchoge

World marathon record holder, Eliud Kipchoge has come out to explain what happened during the eagerly anticipated London Marathon that saw Shura Kitata of Ethiopia dethrone him to clinch the victory on October 4.

A dejected Kipchoge, who finished eighth, eluded to the fact that he had no problems in the beginning of the race but developed complications in the last 15km.

“I am really disappointed. the last 15km I felt it. I felt well in the start but had a problem with my right ear after it blocked and then I really cramped and had problems with my hip,” Kipchoge narrated to BBC sport after the race.

Kipchoge, however, vowed to fight next time and not to give up. “But this is how sport is, we should accept defeat and focus on winning next time. Absolutely there are more marathons in me and I will come back again,” Kipchoge stated.

In the absence of his fierce rival Kenenisa Bekele, Kipchoge was widely acknowledged as the favorite to break the record and lift a historic fifth London crown but to the chagrin of many, he came a distant eighth in 2:06:49.

This was his first defeat in seven years as he had won his prior 12 marathons.

Kenya’s Vincent Kipchumba came in second place while Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia finished third.

London Marathon 2020 winners (Source NBC sports)

Men’s Elite

Shura Kitata (Ethiopia)= 2:05:41

Women’s Elite:

Brigid Kosgei (Kenya)= 2:18:58

Men’s Wheelchair

Brent Lakatos (Canada)= 1:36:04

Women’s Wheelchair

Nikita Den Boer (Netherlands)= 1:40:07