NAIROBI, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's marathon sensation Eliud Kipchoge, on Thursday said he does not plan to compete in another race this year and will instead concentrate on training for a world record attempt.
Kipchoge, the reigning Olympic champion who arrived back in the country after winning the London Marathon on April 22 told journalists in Nairobi he had planned to run only one race in 2018, hence his decision to opt out of competition for the remainder of the season.
"My journey to London took four months of planning, during which time I trained very hard on all types of conditions and terrain," Kipchoge said.
The 33-year-old Kipchoge won his third London Marathon title on April 22 in a time of 2:06:21 ahead of Ethiopia's Shura Kitata and Mo Farah of Britain whereas fellow countrywoman, Vivian Cheruiyot won the women's category in one of the hottest marathon ever recorded where temperatures soared to as high as 23.2 degrees Celsius.
The champion, who registered his tenth win out of the eleven marathons he has participated in since 2013, stated that even though he did not break the 2:02:57 world record set by Dennis Kimetto in Berlin in 2014, he was delighted by his performance in London.
"It has always been my goal to run the marathon in less than two hours, but due to the temperature and humidity that prevailed, it was not possible this time around," he noted.
"However, as I stated before the race, I was in London to run a good race, and indeed it was a good finish. I promise that my team and I will keep training, working hard and aiming to break the world record," Kipchoge said.
Kipchoge, who is famed as the master of the marathon, was in high spirits to celebrate his third win, having first won it in 2015 and again in 2016.
He noted that it was important for Kenyans to celebrate athletes when they emerged victorious in races and even when they lose, as this boosts their will to work hard and achieve more.