Not since the days of the first sub-four-minute mile has one barrier attracted so much focus in the world of athletics, but talk of the first sub-two-hour marathon has reignited after Eliud Kipchoge’s 2:01:39 run at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday (16).
The 33-year-old Kenyan ran alone for the final 17 kilometres of the race in the German capital but his pace increased as the race went on. After covering the first half in 1:01:06, Kipchoge ran 1:00:33 for the final 13.1 miles to take one minute and 18 seconds off the marathon world record set by Dennis Kimetto in 2014.
It was the single biggest improvement on a men’s marathon world record for 51 years. An improvement of just 100 seconds more is now needed for the first sub-two-hour marathon.
• Report: Kipchoge breaks marathon world record in Berlin with stunning 2:01:39
• Video: Highlights from the 2018 BMW Berlin Marathon and Kpichoge win
• Feature: Humble hero Kipchoge must be the greatest
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