Five years ago, the Kenyan became the first man to break two hours for the marathon with his controversial methods
On October 12 2019, Eliud Kipchoge made history by becoming the first person to run a marathon in under two hours.
At the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria, the world watched in awe as the Kenyan clocked an astounding 1:59:41 – an achievement once deemed impossible, yet Kipchoge made it look effortless.
As he raced down Vienna’s Haupltallee towards the finish line, the atmosphere was electric as the now 39-year-old peeled away from his pacemakers, waving to the cheering crowd in the final stages.
“With 500 metres to go,” the double Olympic champion later reflected, “it was the best moment of my life.”
Eliud Kipchoge (Bob Martin)
For years, the sub-two-hour marathon had been labeled the ‘impossible barrier’ by experts but Kipchoge’s feat wasn’t without its controversies.
The record-breaking run had a unique setup: a rotating team of pacemakers shielded Kipchoge from the wind, while he wore Nike’s specifically designed carbon fibre plated shoes. Given this, the IAAF at the time chose not to ratify it as a world record.
However the double Olympic champion still shattered a barrier long thought impossible – and has yet to be breached by anyone else.
The event was specifically created for this moment. Police cars cleared the roads ahead, while assistants on bicycles handed out drinks and a pace car led the way, setting the tempo for Kipchoge and his elite pacemakers which included Bernard Lagat, Matthew Centrowitz and the Ingebrigtsen brothers.
His achievement echoed through history and was likened to Roger Bannister’s legendary first ever sub-four-minute mile in 1954.
INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna
“It has taken 65 years for a human being to make history in sport – after Roger Bannister made history in 1954. I have tried and I got it,” said Kipchoge five years ago.
“I am the happiest man to run under two hours to inspire people, to tell people that no human being is limited. You can do it.”
The triumph was not Kipchoge’s first attempt at breaking the two-hour barrier. In 2017, he had come agonisingly close, finishing in 2:00:25 during Nike’s Breaking2 event in Monza, Italy. Unlike Vienna, Monza lacked the crowds that would later roar him to victory.
But following his official world record of 2:01:39 set in Berlin in September 2018, Kipchoge had entered Vienna with the confidence and preparations he needed.
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