The race took place on Sunday morning, October 11, 2026, in Australia, attracting approximately 6,000 participants.
Kipchoge, a seasoned long-distance runner and two-time Olympic gold medallist, was among the competitors seeking victory in the event.
Runners covered the full marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres, with Kipchoge delivering an impressive performance to finish in 2:09:10. He broke the previous course record held by fellow Kenyan Timothy Kiplagat Ronoh by two seconds.
After winning the race, Kipchoge praised the spectators who turned out to support the runners.
“The people cheering were really amazing. I have never seen anything like it elsewhere. It shows that Melbourne is a city of sports lovers,” he said.
He added that he still felt physically capable of competing, even at his age.
“My body is still ready. Even if they added more kilometres, I could keep going and competing. Someone older like me can still compete with younger athletes, and that makes me happy,” Kipchoge said.
Kipchoge received congratulations from several people, including Kenyan President William Ruto. His previous marathon victory came in 2023, when he won the Berlin Marathon.
Australian runner Thomas Do Canto finished second in Melbourne with a time of two hours, 10 minutes and 35 seconds.
In the women’s race, New Zealand’s Camille French claimed victory.
