He has been hailed as "the greatest marathon runner of modern times". In an exclusive interview with Deutsche Welle (Dw), Kipchoge invited DW to visit his farm in Kenya, where he talked about mental health issues and how he could stay positive during tough times.
For the past 18 years, Kenyan long-distance runner Kipchoge has been entertaining track and field enthusiasts in his home country, Africa and around the world.
Kipchoge won gold medals in marathon events at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. And in 2018, the Berlin Marathon set a new world marathon record with a time of 2 hours, 1 minute and 39 seconds.
He was 1 minute and 18 seconds faster than the original world record. Kipchoge was also the first person in history to break the 2-hour mark with a staggering average of 2 minutes and 50 seconds per kilometer.
In an exclusive interview with DW at a Kenyan farm, Kipchoge told DW that these achievements are no accident.
Gold medalist Kipchoge (center) at the Men's Marathon Awards Ceremony at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
01
Surrounded by good people
Be among the nobles
He started by talking about the love and support he's received from the team around him over the years.
"My coach, Patrick Sang, has always been by my side. He influenced a lot of my values and I got a lot of what I needed from him. He told DW's reporter.
But Kipchoge says the core of all his accomplishments in the sport is "believing in yourself, seeing yourself as the best person you can be, and being honest with yourself," and he admits his coaches have instilled such values in him as he grows up.
In 2003, Kipchoge won the junior competition at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships and set a junior world record in the 5,000 meters, his first individual world championship title.
He began to succeed at an early stage and continued to maintain and enjoy this success later in his career.
For Kipchoge, the insistence on being honest with himself and always doing his best has now paid off.
"The value of honesty pays off. In sports, what I call honesty is going forward," Kipchoge told DW.
"Be brave enough to face anything in life. The value of the family, the value of self-discipline, the value of self-management. I couldn't live a normal life without those values, and that wasn't Kipchog. ”
Kipchoge made a "yay" after winning back-to-back gold medals.
02
Dealing with mental health issues
Dealing with mental health issues
Last year, three great Kenyan athletes died, including record-breaking long-distance runner Agnes Tirop, who was found dead in a suspected homicide with a stab wound to the abdomen.
There are some successful athletes who are still battling mental health conditions, including depression.
Kipchoge is concerned about the situation and its impact on other athletes in Kenya.
"I think the mental stress of male and female athletes is actually increasing, which is unfortunate," he lamented. "But it's actually the result of living in negativity or being surrounded by people who are emotionally negative all the time."
The sports legend said that thanks to the positive influence of those around him, he was able to deal with similar issues in a better way.
"For the last 18 years, I've been surrounded by positive people, both in the world of sports and people outside of sports. I think I'm lucky. I've actually been following the right values and actually have my own values, and I can't live without them, and I can live and die with them. He said.
But Kipchoge says athletes must find a way to control their emotions and live a balanced life.
He said, "I understand life. In this world, you need to understand life. If something bad happens to you, you have to understand. Because where there is life, there is a challenge. ”
03
Prolonged success
Achieve long-term success
Kipchoge was the third marathon runner to win consecutive gold medals at the Olympics after Abe Bikila (1960 and 1964) and Waldemar Cierpinski (1976 and 1980) in East Germany.
He now holds four Olympic medals – in addition to the two, as well as a silver medal in the 5,000 metres at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a bronze medal in the same event at athens 2004.
Even at the age of 37, Kipchoge revealed that his dream was to win six Grand Slam titles in the World Marathon. He has won the London Marathon four times in record numbers.
All of these successes and more, he said, came with challenges that included getting injured and losing some games — but in any case, there was no exit from that option.
"These are challenges. If you don't do basic training today, tomorrow is another day. The day's training may be good or bad, but it needs to be done anyway. Kipchoge said.
Kipchoge won't give up running anytime soon, but he's willing to inspire young runners to reach the top of their careers.
In his opinion, professionals like him should be willing to give a little dedication and show that they are indeed "very professional".
He believes that professional athletes need to be prepared to "build their own careers, work hard and respect their work ethic." This would be a person who is really valuable to the people behind, which is not difficult to achieve, and it is easy to be accepted in a positive way. ”
Kipchoge is the third marathon runner to win consecutive gold medals at the Olympics
04
Making Kenya 'a running country'
Making Kenya a "Running Nation"
Kipchoge loves his country and wants to do more to improve athletics in Kenya.
He told DW that he still longs to keep running and wants to make Kenya a "running country".
Kipchoge revealed plans to "inspire the next generation."
"If you're sure of something in your heart and mind, and when you say it out of your mouth, then you can do it. It's not just about sports, it's about any profession. He said.
"We need people to really respect their profession. We need people to invest in themselves, in their families, in their friends, in their neighbors. That's at least what's on my life list. He added.
*Article source: Deutsche Welle Deutsche Welle;
By Keith Walker;
Translation: RC Editorial Board (if there is any improper translation, please point it out)