Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge has made history as the first athlete to run a marathon in less than two hours. The world record holder finished a course around the Prater Park in Vienna in one hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds.
His feat, however, falls short of a world record, according to the International Association of Athletics Federations.
Running at a consistent 2:50 minutes per kilometer average pace, Kipchoge chalked 11 seconds ahead of schedule halfway through his run.
He was accompanied by 36 pacemakers who eventually left him for the final 500 meters run. The victory represented his second attempt at breaking the two-hour barrier, having missed out by 26 seconds at the Formula One track in Monza, Italy in May 2017.
Speaking after the race, Kipchoge disclosed that “it has taken 65 years for a human being to make history in sport. I am the happiest man to run under two hours. I am here to inspire everyone that it can be done.”
Kipchoge had in 2016 took an Olympic gold medal in Rio de Janeiro, and has won 10 of his previous 11 marathons
