Eliud Kipchoge Set to Make Olympics Return After Landing New Role

Eliud Kipchoge might have graced his last Olympics in 2024 but he is set to make an appearance at the Games after landing a new role.

Kipchoge, a five-time Olympian, who has won two gold medals, will be among the top names who will grace the MilanoCortina2026 Olympic Winter Games which will begin on Friday, February 6 in Italy.

The 41-year-old marathon legend has been selected as one of the six flag bearers at the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics which will be held in the Italian city from February 6-22.

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“Discover the six Olympians who will carry the Olympic Flag as part of 10 renowned personalities who embody the principles of peace, unity and solidarity that inspire the Olympic Movement,” the Olympics announced.

“In keeping with the spirit of the widespread Olympic Winter Games, the Olympic Flag will parade in two symbolic locations of the Games: Milan’s San Siro Stadium, accompanied by eight flag bearers. Cortina d'Ampezzo, with two flag bearers.”

Kipchoge, who claimed back-to-back marathon gold medals at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, ran his last Olympics race at the Paris Games in 2024 but did not finish. His other Olympics appearances were in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, where he won 5,000m bronze and silver respectively.

The former marathon record holder will be joined by Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade, a six-time Olympic medalist, who won gold in 2020 and 2024, Pita Taufatofua from Tonga, a taekwondo cross-country skier and boxer Cindy Ngamba, who became the first-ever Refugee Olympics team athlete to win a medal.

Others are Italian skater Martina Valcepina, a four-time Olympian as well as compatriot Franco Nones, a skier, the cross-country skiing champion at the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics.