Kipchoge to 2025 London - Can he still compete with the best or is he washed?

He probably runs sub 2:06.

First off, I appreciate that Kipchoge is still coming back and going after it, even knowing that he is on the decline of his career. Unlike some of this sports stars, its clear that he really loves runnning, and, yes, he still gets paid for it, and probably still handsomely too, but I think he really loves it. Like we do. (Like SML and Mu don't, which I think infuriates most of us because we wouldn't be here, on a running site, discussing it if we didn't.)

So that alone makes him a great ambassador for the sport, which we have sorely lacked. Kipchoge made the "anonymous Kenyan wins another marathon" narrative go away for a while, and it has been a huge benefit to our sport.

Do I think he can still win? I think its very, very clear that he isn't world class on hill courses, so coming back to London makes a lot of sense. I don't think that he can win against the new, younger legs, but will hang with the pack for a while before dropping back. After his DNF in Paris, I could actually see him playing it a bit safer for the first time in his career and dropping back a bit early so that he can hold pace and finish well, even if its in 5th or 6th place, but feel good doing it to banish the memory of Paris. So instead of hanging to a 2:02 pace until 18 and then dropping way back, he could drop off at 7 miles and run solo, pick off some stragglers, but come in feeling good as opposed to defeated again. That's my guess.

Kipchoge brought marathoning world wide attention, having him still in our sport is a good thing.

Winning is unrealistic. A big coup by London Marathon. Makes the line-up now even more interesting and it will motivate all the younger athletes to push even harder.

Though I really want to see him actually to run New York to see him getting his 6 star medal.

I predict a time of 2:09:33 for Kipchoge. You heard it here first. It goes without saying that he will not win.

That’s about right, and he’s ready for a fork.

No. He has no shot of winning. End thread. Brojos, please close to further posts. Thank you.

I'd say anything beyond a DNF is a win

He should learn from not-so-arch rival Bekele and mix up the DNFs with some DNS as well as some occasional eye popping great performances. Utter unpredictability is the way to maintain the intrigue.

I just want him to finish.

Does he have a shot at the win?....LOL!! His is an old man. There is no way he can compete with the much younger faster runners. However I think he has a good shot finishing in the top 5.

Unless he’s the Tom Brady of marathoners, he won’t be running any eye poppers.

This is just disrespectful, illogical even

I would love to know what London's elite athlete appearance fee budget is. And what that amount is compared to Boston's. The depth of 'absolute best talent' they get some of these years is mind blowing. It's like the diamond league final for marathoning.

He'll beat all the white guys. Even when he's 45.

If he starts running 2:10s, there will be no elite athlete appearance fees.

It will be interesting to see how he runs it. I don't think he will win but I also don't necessarily think he is 'washed'. I wonder if he will try and stick with the top guys (presumably 61-ish first half I would guess) and risk DNFing or fading badly, or if he runs a sensible race. 2.04-2.05 could still be possible for him.

Either way having him in the field is a massive coup for London and adds yet another twist in the story! Love to see it.

He’s be best running a little off the pace I think…I think if he hits 61 minutes like the leaders, he’s in trouble.

I don't think Kipchoge will win, but another "old man" almost won last year when Bekele was at the front towards the end and then finished second.

He's over the hill. I don't see him finishing in the top-10.