Eliud Kipchoge Set to Make Olympics Return After Landing New Role

Legendary Kenyan marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge is set to make a special return to the Olympic stage after being selected as one of the flagbearers for the Opening Ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

Although Kipchoge may have competed in his final Olympic race at the Paris 2024 Games, the iconic long-distance runner will once again feature at the Olympics, this time in a ceremonial role rather than on the track. His selection highlights his lasting influence on global sport and the Olympic movement.

The 41-year-old, a five-time Olympian and two-time Olympic marathon champion, will be among the distinguished figures taking part in the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Games, scheduled to run from February 6 to February 22, 2026, in Italy. Kipchoge has been named as one of six athletes chosen to carry the Olympic flag during the ceremony.

In a statement announcing the selection, Olympic organizers said: “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.”

Who Will Be Joining Kipchoge at the Ceremony?

According to the organizers, the Olympic flag procession will reflect the dual-host nature of the Games. “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, and Cortina d’Ampezzo, with two flag bearers.”

Kipchoge’s Olympic journey spans two decades. He won marathon gold medals at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Games, cementing his status as one of the greatest distance runners of all time. He also competed in the men’s marathon at Paris 2024 but was unable to finish the race. Earlier in his career, he represented Kenya at the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics, winning bronze and silver respectively in the 5,000m.

Joining Kipchoge among the flagbearers will be Brazilian gymnastics star Rebeca Andrade, a six-time Olympic medalist with gold medals from the 2020 and 2024 Games. Other honorees include Tonga’s Pita Taufatofua, a taekwondo athlete and cross-country skier, and boxer Cindy Ngamba, the first Refugee Olympic Team athlete to win a medal.

The lineup is completed by Italian speed skater Martina Valcepina, a four-time Olympian, and Franco Nones, the Italian cross-country skiing champion from the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics.