This archive report was first published on 19 October 2019.
On October 12, 2019, Eliud Kipchoge made history by becoming the first person to run a marathon in under two hours, clocking 1:59:40 in the INEOS 1:59 challenge in Vienna, Austria.
The event, sponsored by INEOS, was broadcast live to an estimated 500 million people in 200 territories around the world, with over 750,000 viewers streaming it on YouTube.
According to INEOS, the massive audience included fans in Prater park, Vienna, who turned out to cheer Kipchoge on as he achieved his goal.
Speaking after the event, Kipchoge said, "I am feeling good. It has taken 65 years for a human to make history in sport. After Roger Bannister [running a sub four-minute mile in 1954] it took another 65 years.....I’m happy to be the man to run under two hours. No human is limited, and I’m expecting more people to do it after today,"
President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced plans to honour Kipchoge and other heroes and heroines on Sunday, October 20, for their remarkable achievements and contributions in different spheres.
