This archive report was first published on 12 October 2019.
On a crisp autumn day in Vienna, Austria, Eliud Kipchoge, the 34-year-old Olympic and world champion, embarked on a historic quest to break the two-hour marathon barrier. Accompanied by seven pacemakers, Kipchoge set off from a bridge in the Prater park, a specially prepared course designed to make the run as even as possible.
Throngs of fans lined up around the finish line, eager to witness if Kipchoge could cross it at 1hr 59min, a feat that would make him the first human to achieve this remarkable feat.
"We want to see if he will make it. I would say it is totally crazy, terrific if he can make it," said Nicole Pahl, a 48-year-old marathon runner from Germany, who had traveled to Austria to support Kipchoge's attempt.
With a world record of 2hr 01min 39sec, set in the Berlin marathon on September 16, 2018, Kipchoge was determined to make history. He had previously attempted to break the two-hour barrier in May 2017, running on the Monza National Autodrome racing circuit in Italy, but fell short by 25 seconds.
"I just have to make that click in people's minds that no human is limited," Kipchoge said in a press conference earlier in the week, emphasizing his mental strength and confidence.
Published on October 12, 2019, at 19:22:00 UTC.
