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Hail the king! Peerless Eliud Kipchoge breaks two-hour marathon barrier
SATURDAY OCTOBER 12 2019
Eliud Kipchoge during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge at Prater Park in Vienna, Austria on October 12, 2019. PHOTO | INEOS 1:59 CHALLENGE
Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge Saturday became the first man to run the marathon under two hours after clocking 1:59:40 during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge at Prater Park in Vienna, Austria.
Kipchoge, who was assisted by 41 pacemakers, enters the Guinness Book of World Records for running the first sub two-hour marathon though his feat will not be recognised by the world athletics governing body, IAAF, as the new world marathon record.
It was his second attempt after falling short by 26 seconds during the “Breaking2” event in Monza, Italy in 2017 where he timed 2:00:25.
In Vienna, the pacemakers were divided into groups of seven, with five running ahead of Kipchoge in a ‘V’ formation, and two behind the Olympic champion to dictate the pace for him while also protecting him from the wind.
Ahead of the pack was a zero-emission Audi E-tron car, the latest from the German manufacturer in the electric car market, which beamed green laser lights onto the tarmac to guide the runners to stick to the pace agreed on, which was two minutes and 50 seconds per kilometre.
Just to make sure the car’s pace is spot-on, the driver used the cruise control facility that ensured the steady pace.
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