This archive report was first published on 12 October 2019.
On a misty autumnal morning in Vienna's Prater Park, Eliud Kipchoge embarked on a highly controlled attempt to break the two-hour barrier, a feat he achieved on October 12, 2019.
With a crowd of up to 8,000 cheering him on, Kipchoge ran 4.4 laps of a 9.6 kilometre course, consisting of a long straight with a loop at each end.
Supported by 41 pacemakers who formed a V shape around him, Kipchoge was aided by an electric pace car programmed to complete the course in 1:59.50, ensuring a steady pace.
The 34-year-old Olympic champion, who set an official world record of 2:01.39 at the Berlin marathon in September 2018, missed out by 26 seconds in his previous attempt to break the two-hour barrier in Monza in May 2017.
The IAAF will not recognise the run as an official record due to the use of pacemakers and the absence of open competition.
