Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge is confident of winning a historic third consecutive marathon gold medal at this year's Paris Olympics.
The 39-year-old, who won the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and the postponed 2021 Tokyo Games, finished 10th at the Tokyo Marathon in March this year.
The only men to defend their Olympic marathon titles are Ethiopia's Abebe Bikila (1964) and East Germany's Waldemar Sierpinski (1980).
“Actually, my big expectation is to win the Olympics for the third time,” Kipchoge said.
Kipchoge last week joined two-time Boston Marathon champions Benson Kipruto, Timothy Kiplagat, Vincent Kipkemoi Getich, and newcomer Alexander Mutiso for the Paris marathon, which begins on July 26 and concludes on August 11. Selected on the Kenya Marathon candidate list.
Kipluto won this year's Tokyo Marathon in 2 hours, 2 minutes and 16 seconds, with Kiplagat and Getich completing the podium.
Kipchoge finished more than four-and-a-half minutes ahead of Kipruto in Japan, but the result did not worry him about his chances in Paris on August 10.
“I think I was just tired,” he explained.
“I don't know what happened, but that's life and that's sports. That's the beauty of sports.”
About retirement and Olympic prize money
Kipchoge will turn 40 in November, but if asked if he would qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, he would not be selected.
“In Kenya, they say you can't chase two rabbits at a time. You'll miss them all. You can only chase one,” he said.
“So what I'm chasing right now is the Olympic rabbit. Then I'll go back to square one, look at what's on my bucket list, and start chasing the next goal.”
But while questions remain about when he plans to retire, he reiterated his commitment to encouraging people at all levels to get active.
“If I can convince you that the moment I cross the finish line the whole world will be a world of running, I will retire,” he added.
Kipchoge was in the French capital on Thursday as part of Kenya's kit launch for the Olympics and will also receive prize money if he defends his marathon title.
World Athletics Federation President Coe announced that, for the first time at an Olympics, all track and field gold medalists in Paris will receive $50,000 (£40,100) in prize money.
Kipchoge believes this development will boost the sport in the long term.
Kipchoge said, “I'm not running for money, I'm running because I want to perform.''
“This was a great idea for Seb Coe and World Athletics. For the younger generation, I think this is a good idea to develop. It makes the sport more interesting.”
