Farewell to the greatest?

Kipchoge also gave away his shoes!

Eliud Kipchoge(Bild: Alfons Kaiser/F.A.Z.)

Was today's Olympic marathon his last race? Eliud Kipchoge, the greatest long-distance runner in history, had given up the race at kilometer 31 in the morning. And then? Then he not only gave away his race numbers to the fans along the course, but also his shoes! Perhaps a hint that he was now ending his career...

Kipchoge had dreamed of winning the Olympic marathon three times, coming third after Abebe Bikila from Ethiopia (1960 and 1964) and Waldemar Cierpinski from the GDR (1976 and 1980). But he didn't stand a chance in Paris. He was already hopelessly behind after the first big climb and eventually gave up the race.

Alfons Kaiser from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung was standing right at the point where Kipchoge gave up. He witnessed the two-time Olympic champion giving away his race numbers and his shoes. He made pictures of this available to the "Krone". The Kenyan, whose great career began here in Paris in 2003 with World Championship gold in the 5000 m, is and remains the greatest. His run in the Prater, when he was the first and so far only runner to run under 2:00 hours in the marathon, is unforgettable.