Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge has made a powerful statement to the next generation by winning his first marathon in three years at the Melbourne Marathon. The 41-year-old Kenyan athlete shattered the race record on Sunday, completing the course in two hours, nine minutes, and 10 seconds, edging out the previous record by two seconds.

Kipchoge competed alongside Jimmy Whelan, a former Australian professional cyclist, until around the 30km mark, where he shifted gears and surged ahead to claim victory. Post-race, he celebrated with fans for over half an hour at the MCG, looking remarkably fresh as he engaged with the crowd.

Expressing his joy, Kipchoge remarked, "The crowd is so wonderful – I’ve never seen a crowd like this. Melbourne is really, really a sporting city."

He emphasized his belief that his athletic prowess remains strong, stating, "I believe that my body is still peaking – still able to compete with the next generation."

This race marks the third leg of Kipchoge's world marathon tour, which includes events on every continent, even Antarctica.

In the men's race, Thomas Do Canto finished as the runner-up in 2:10:35, while Camille French from New Zealand won the women's race in 2:28:25. Sinead Diver from Australia followed closely in 2:28:49.

Kipchoge's visit to Melbourne also included community engagement, highlighting the city's rich sporting culture. He plans to return for future events, stating, "I will come back to Melbourne to watch the tennis, the Formula One next year... This is the best track ever."

Earlier in the day, an incident near Flinders Street station resulted in a woman being hospitalized after being struck by a car, approximately 200 meters from the marathon route.