KIPCHOGE PLANS MARATHON TOUR ACROSS SEVEN CONTINENTS

By: Gyang Dakwo

Eliud Kipchoge, the five time Berlin Marathon champion, has announced a global marathon tour that will see him race on all seven continents over the next two to three years.

The tour will begin with his first ever marathon race in Africa, which will take place on May 24, 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa.

The two time Olympic champion said the tour will involve seven marathons around the world. He explained that the main aim is to raise funds for his foundation, which focuses on conservation and education. The project also signals a new stage in the career of the Kenyan running legend.

“I have been planning for the world tour for a long time, and I am happy that the first one will start with my own continent. This will be my first race in Africa,” said Kipchoge, who holds two world records and was the first person to break the two hour marathon barrier.

Kipchoge spoke at a press conference on Monday, March 9, where he explained that his approach to racing is changing. He said the focus will now move away from record breaking performances and toward inspiring people around the world.

“I am training normally, preparing my mind like any other race. But it is a different race. It’s more for inspiration and to reach more people,” he said, while keeping the calm and positive tone that many fans have come to expect.

“I am not giving a stipulated time that I need to run in Cape Town… I want to run a good race, a beautiful race that everyone will enjoy.”

Kipchoge also said he wants to use his global influence to improve how people see athletics, and he hopes more people will begin to view sport as a serious career.

“I want to spread my inspiration and make people understand sport more than ever, make them treat sport as a profession,” he added.

The world tour will take him across several continents, and the full race schedule is still being finalised. However, possible stops include Abu Dhabi for his first marathon in Asia, Perth in Australia, and a race along Portugal’s Algarve coast. The tour may also continue to Cartagena in Colombia and Miami in the United States before ending with a final race at Wolf’s Fang in Antarctica.

Cape Town was chosen carefully for the opening race because the event is hoping to become a World Marathon Major. If that happens, it will become the first race on the African continent to earn that status. A victory there could also give Kipchoge another major achievement after he completed his Six Star journey in New York City last year.

The celebrated runner also said he is looking forward to meeting fans across Africa because many people on the continent have only seen him on television.

“Most people in Africa have only watched me on television, and now it’s my turn to go to them,” he said. “The African continent is still young, so I want to bring a lot of inspiration. I also like the running culture in Cape Town… South Africa is very much a sporting country, and Cape Town is a very sporty city.”

Kipchoge has previously said he plans to evolve rather than retire, and this new marathon tour appears to show what that next chapter will look like. He is expected to announce the next two destinations on the tour later this week.