Goodbye, Legend: Kipchoge’s Ninth‑Place Finish in Sydney Sparks Retirement Talk.

Goodbye, Legend: Kipchoge’s Ninth‑Place Finish in Sydney Sparks Retirement Talk.

 

In one of the most bittersweet finishes of his storied career, marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge ended the 2025 Sydney Marathon in ninth place with a time of 2:08:31, igniting fresh speculation that the Kenyan great may be nearing the end of his competitive journey.

The race, held on August 31, 2025, marked the Sydney Marathon’s debut as the seventh event in the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors series . Drawing around 35,000 runners, the event was run under sunny skies and cool temperatures, with the course taking athletes across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge and past landmarks such as the Opera House .

Kipchoge, now 40, was among the elite headliners on a morning poised for history. Earlier that year, he had rebounded from a challenging 2024—where he placed tenth in Tokyo and failed to finish the Paris Olympic marathon—to finish sixth in the London Marathon in April, with a strong 2:05:25 .

But on Sunday, the Kenyan icon couldn’t make the usual late surge. He fell off the leading pack around the 30km mark and ultimately crossed the line ninth amid fierce competition .

The men’s title was claimed by Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam Kiros, who set a new course record of 2:06:06—eclipsing the previous mark of 2:06:18 . In the women’s race, Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands shattered the 2:20 barrier for the first time in Australia, finishing in 2:18:22 to take the title and set another course record .

Despite the setback, Kipchoge radiated grace and perspective after the race. Standing beneath the Opera House, he told reporters, “It was not my day today. Above all, I have crossed the finish line to empower the people of Australia. To make Australia a running nation” . He reflected further on the marathon’s growth, expressing hopes of seeing over 55,000 participants next year and lauding the course’s beauty .

While some viewed the result as a sign of decline, others saw it as a graceful pivot toward broader influence. Over his career, Kipchoge has amassed 16 marathon victories—11 of them in World Marathon Majors—and remains only the second-fastest marathoner in history, with a race‑legal personal best of 2:01:09 .

Yet the recent streak is uncharacteristic: Tokyo in 2024 (10th), Paris Olympics (DNF), London in April 2025 (6th), and now Sydney (9th). As one commentator put it, “The contrast is stark,” underscoring how even legends must eventually face the shifting tides of age and competition .

Still, Kipchoge’s legacy remains undeniable. Even in ninth place, the cheers that greeted him affirmed his status not only as a champion runner but as an enduring symbol of the marathon’s spirit.