- Eliud Kipchoge met Australian sprinting icon Cathy Freeman in Melbourne a day after claiming victory at the Nike Melbourne Marathon
- The Kenyan marathon great clocked 2:09:10 to set a new course record, ending a three-year title drought with his 17th career marathon win
- Kipchoge shared a photo with Freeman online, describing their conversation about bravery, faith in young people and inspiring a nation
Fresh off his historic victory at the Nike Melbourne Marathon, Eliud Kipchoge capped off an extraordinary weekend in Australia.
Source: Facebook
The Kenyan running legend sat down with one of the country's most celebrated sporting figures, sprinting icon Cathy Freeman.
How did Kipchoge's meeting with Freeman go?
The 41-year-old Kenyan shared a photo of the encounter on Facebook on Monday, 12 October, describing the meeting as a highlight of what he called:
"An unforgettable week in Melbourne."
Freeman, widely remembered for winning the 400 metres at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in front of a roaring home crowd, appeared alongside Kipchoge in what fans quickly dubbed a meeting of legends.
"It was a great honour to spend time with the legendary Cathy Freeman today," Kipchoge wrote.
"A wonderful conversation about bravery, inspiring a nation, and her faith in the young people of today. Thank you Cathy, for this special moment."
The reunion came just a day after Kipchoge crossed the finish line inside the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground to win the Melbourne Marathon in a time of 2:09:10, shaving two seconds off the previous course record. Australia's Thomas Do Canto finished second in 2:10:35, with Reece Edwards third in 2:14:33.
The race, which began outside the Melbourne Tennis Centre and wound through sections of Albert Park associated with the Formula One Australian Grand Prix, saw Kipchoge make his decisive break from the field at around the 30-kilometre mark.
He eased into his final stretch, waving to spectators and soaking in the atmosphere as he entered the MCG.
The victory was his first marathon title since the Berlin Marathon in September 2023, ending a three-year drought. It was also reportedly his 17th career marathon win.
The Melbourne race marked the third stop on his ambitious Seven Continents World Tour, which has already taken him to Cape Town, South Africa, and Brazil, with Antarctica among the remaining destinations.
See the post below:
Netizens react
The image of the two sporting icons together sent fans into a frenzy in the comments section.
Francisco Oduor wrote:
"Sydney 2000 can't forget the way she lit the track."
Andy Bett said:
"Cathy Freeman the legendary Ausi Aboriginal, I remember her lopping style of running."
Lennie Len shared:
"Wow, I watched Cathy Freeman win when I was just 5 years old. I still remember her clearly winning the 400 meters. She was such a fantastic athlete to watch. Amazing to see you two together."
Ian Newey kept it short:
"Sparkling photo. You'd be hard pressed to squeeze in any more legend."
Charlotte Tapkigen added:
"The one who lit the Olympic lights in Australia 2000 Olympic's. She is looking great."
Lauren Hage summed it up simply:
"So much legend in 1 frame."
How much did Kipchoge pocket from the Melbourne win?
TUKO.co.ke also highlighted facts about Kipchoge’s Melbourne Marathon victory, including his course-record finish and estimated prize earnings.
Melbourne marked the third stop on Kipchoge’s goal to race on all seven continents within two years.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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