Why Kipchoge wears detached sleeves during his races
Arguably the best marathon athlete in the world Eliud Kipchoge has done it again, this time winning the 2022 Tokyo Marathon with a time of 2:02:40.
Kipchoge recorded the fourth-fastest marathon ever and is truly a living legend and undoubtedly the Greatest of All Time (G. O. A. T).
But with that big achievement, something is quite distinctive. His sleeves. Over the past races, he has been constantly spotted wearing detached sleeves on his arms and many may wonder why exactly.
Running arm sleeves have lately become a common sight at marathons. First popularised by elite athletes, they are now run by many marathon runners.
Arm sleeves are primarily worn for the benefits of the compression they provide.
Various sports medicine studies have shown that this compression helps to stabilise the arm muscles as arms are generally a great factor of stabilization when it comes to running and propelling the body forward.
The arm sleeves also increase blood flow which helps in recovery after hard exercise or minor injuries.
The effect probably isn't significant enough to propel Kipchoge to the podium, but in theory, the compression should help clear out the lactic acid that builds up in the muscles, which can help prevent cramps and fatigue during the race and even allow him to recover faster.
Ultimately, it comes down to what will make an athlete feel most comfortable and confident during a race because staying healthy and safe is always the top priority.
For Kipchoge, the sleeves have definitely become an iconic sense of style that will forever stay ingrained in our sporting bibles.
