Eliud Kipchoge has made a strong start to the 2026 Melbourne Marathon, reaching 10 kilometres in 30:37 as he leads a five-man group featuring four Australians.
Kipchoge is running alongside Reece Edwards, James Whelan and Thomas Do Canto, with Australian pacer Alex Harvey also in the leading pack. The race is being held in still conditions on a flat, fast course selected with the Kenyan star in mind.
Kipchoge, a two-time Olympic gold medallist who has set two world records, is the headline name in the elite men’s field. The group had formed just beyond the 10-kilometre mark.
Australia’s Sinead Diver and New Zealand’s Camille French shared the lead in the women’s race, passing 10 kilometres in 34:01. That pace puts them well inside the existing course-record schedule.
Australians Rebecca Lowe and Abigail Nordberg, together with Ireland’s Nichola Sheridan, made up the chasing group behind the two front-runners.
