Melbourne, Australia — Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge has won the 2026 Melbourne Marathon in a course-record time of 2:09:10, claiming his first victory over the distance since the 2023 Berlin Marathon.

The 41-year-old crossed the finish line at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, October 11, breaking the previous course record by two seconds.

Australian runners Thomas Do Canto and Reece Edwards finished second and third, respectively.

The victory marked Kipchoge’s 17th career marathon win and ended a three-year wait for another title over the 42.195-kilometre distance.

Kipchoge breaks Melbourne Marathon course record at 41

Kipchoge’s victory came five months after he finished sixth at the London Marathon, raising questions about how much longer the two-time Olympic champion would continue competing at the highest level.

Speaking after the race, the Kenyan said his Melbourne performance demonstrated that he could still compete against younger runners.

He described his body as “still peaking,” expressing confidence in his ability to continue racing despite turning 41.

The result adds another victory to a career that includes two Olympic marathon gold medals and multiple major marathon titles.

Melbourne victory marks third stop on seven-continent tour

The Melbourne Marathon was the third stop on Kipchoge’s planned seven-continent running tour, which will see him compete in races across every continent, including Antarctica.

The initiative began after Kipchoge completed all seven Abbott World Marathon Majors.

Beyond competition, the tour aims to raise funds for education and environmental projects through the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation.

The Melbourne victory gives the Kenyan another milestone as he continues the international running project.

Kipchoge adds another milestone to marathon career

Kipchoge remains the only person to have completed the marathon distance in under two hours, recording 1:59:40 in Vienna in 2019.

The achievement took place under specially controlled conditions and is not recognised as an official world record.

His latest performance in Melbourne adds to a career that has made him one of the most accomplished distance runners in athletics history.

At 41, Kipchoge continues to compete internationally while using his seven-continent tour to support education and environmental initiatives.