This archive report was first published on 17 October 2019.
World record holder Eliud Kipchoge made history by clocking 1:59:40 in Vienna, Austria, at the INEOS1:59Challenge over the weekend.
After his historic achievement, Kipchoge sneaked back into the country on Wednesday morning and is set to embark on celebrations alongside his team, family, and training mates at the Global Communications camp in Kaptagat, Nandi County.
When asked about his plans, Kipchoge said, "Now I am concentrating purely on celebrating. It is good to celebrate, calm down, thank my team again, sit down together and plan on what’s next."
However, he ruled out going full-throttle, saying, "I will not go haywire while celebrating. I always celebrate in a calm, humane way."
He also ruled out slaughtering cattle, stating, "It will not happen in my life. My biggest celebration is at the finishing line."
Regarding his Olympic Games marathon title in Tokyo next year, Kipchoge neither confirmed nor denied that he will be defending it, saying it is still early.
He added that having learnt that people back home were celebrating when he achieved his target in Vienna is his happiness and the "inspiration I have been instilling in their minds all along".
"My message to them is thank you for sacrificing their 1:59:40 hours to sit down to watch me run. I always tell them ‘please get inspired and put it in mind that no human is limited,’” he said.
He also expressed his desire for the world to move forward to other things that can continue shaping humanity.
