This archive report was first published on 12 October 2019.
Kenyan distance runner Eliud Kipchoge is set to make history in Vienna, Austria, on October 12, 2019, as he attempts to run a sub-two hour marathon. The event, which will take place at 9:15am, is expected to attract a bigger crowd, according to race organisers.
The IAAF, the sport's governing body, will not recognize the run as an official record due to the use of pacemakers and the fact that it is not in open competition.
Organisers are keen to have a significant crowd attend the event to cheer Kipchoge on and help him make history. The weather in Vienna on the day is expected to be dry and sunny with a forecast temperature of 9°C at the start, rising to 12°C at the finish.
Kipchoge, 34, is the reigning Olympic champion and set an official world record of 2:01.39 at the Berlin marathon last September. He previously attempted to break the two-hour barrier in Monza in May 2017, but missed out by 26 seconds.
His coach, Patrick Sang, is confident that the presence of the public will help Kipchoge's attempt. 'He believes more in himself,' Sang said, adding that Kipchoge's run in Monza had shown that barriers could be broken.
Kipchoge will be supported by 41 pacemakers who will run 4.8 kilometre stints and form a V shape around him to try and protect him from the wind. The pacemakers will run on a 9.54 kilometre course in the Prater park, with Kipchoge running 4.4 laps.
