Eliud Kipchoge has lived up to his star billing at the Melbourne Marathon with a race-record performance.
Kenya's two-time Olympic champion and former world record holder has delighted several thousand fans at the MCG on Sunday morning with a dominating run.
Kipchoge broke away inside the last 10 kilometres of the 42.2km race and won in 2 hours 9 minutes 10 seconds — 2 seconds inside the previous race best.
He would have finished a few seconds quicker, but was waving to the crowd on the half-lap inside the MCG to the finish.
Thomas Do Canto was runner-up in 2:10:35 while fellow Australian Reece Edwards came third in 2:15:57.
In the women's race, New Zealand's Camille French was first to the tape in 2:28:25. Australia's Sinead Diver was 23 seconds back in second place, with Irish runner Nichola Sheridan a further 24 seconds back in third.
The 42km journey took participants down St Kilda Road, past Flinders Street Station, around Albert Park Lake, before a finish inside the MCG.
Kipchoge, 41, last won a marathon in 2023. He looked at the finish like it had been an easy training run, spending several minutes with fans alongside the MCG boundary line.
Kipchoge said it was a great feeling to finish at the famous stadium that also hosted the start and finish of the marathon at the 1956 Olympics — 70 years ago.
"So I come here to celebrate the 70 years and tell the people of Melbourne, 'Let us run together here at the MCG' so it was a beautiful time for me, happy to enter this stadium," Kipchoge said after the race.
This is only his second visit to Australia and his Melbourne Marathon debut.
It is part of Kipchoge's world tour, featuring a marathon on all seven continents, including Antarctica.
AAP/ABC
