Kipchoge, another step in the evolution of the marathon world record

Eliud Kipchoge This Sunday expanded his legend to marathon after winning the berlin together new world record. With a note of 2:01:09The Kenyan lowered the universal record he had held for four years at the same appointment by exactly half a minute.

His time not only served to break the universal record, but it was also unique third time in history where the 2:01 barrier was reached. In addition to his 2:01:39 four years ago, he also managed in Berlin 2019 to put himself in that dimension Kenenisa Bekelewho stayed on 2:01:41 to hold Kipchoge’s record.

Now, it gave him, certainly, the most surprising bite in history. The first official world records, which the former IAAF (now World Athletics) began setting twenty years ago, remain a long way off. The first official world record was achieved by an American Khalid Khannouchi in London 2002 with a period of 2:05:38. This lowered the unofficial IAAF-homologized 2:05:42 that Khannouchi himself had from Chicago 1999.

From 2:05:38, the record became 2:01:10 by Kipchoge and all marks were achieved at the Berlin Marathon. The 2:04 barrier was broken Paul Tergat in 2003 with 2:04:55 and Haile Gebrselassie He was responsible for taking that record to 2:03 with 2:04:26 in 2007 and 2:03:59 in 2008. Gebrselassie was the last Ethiopian to hold the world record. In fact, since their records were broken, all record holders have been Kenyans.

The next challenge was 2:02. Patrick Macau (2:03:38 in 2011) and Wilson Kipsang (2:03:23 in 2013) made initial estimates, but it was Dennis Kimetto with 2:02:57 at Berlin 2014 shattering that dream. The question, with just three seconds left in 2:03, is whether a low of 2:02 is possible.

Maybe not, because of what he did Eliud Kipchoge four years ago in Berlin was surely one of the greatest sporting feats in history. He directly lowered the record in 2:01:39 with such solvency that, for the first time, the question that represents one of the greatest challenges in sports for people began to emerge loudly: the two-hour barrier.

The two-hour barrier, from Nike’s attempt to the greatest dream of the future

In an attempt to see the 42,195 kilometers traveled in less than two hours, Nike to design a pharaonic event through the streets of Vienna. Eliud Kipchoge, although the mark is not official, left 1:59:40 on October 12, 2019.

A route expressly designed to place the best possible difficulties, a perfectly planned group of forty-one hares, a technology measured down to detail in the shoes and the magic of the brilliant Kipchoge is the perfect cocktail for the clock to mark a 1 for. for the first time :59:40.

Logically, it is a record without official validity because the conditions have little to do with similar races, but perhaps since that day it has become more apparent that the impossible barrier of two hours may one day become a reality. Before, yes, there was barrier to reach 2:00.

This seems to be the next big challenge and, moreover, realistic. Kipchoge left the world record in Berlin this Sunday 2:01:09, just ten seconds away of a first record in history at 2:00. At 37 years old, the Kenyan continues to monopolize all the spotlights in the never-ending struggle of man against two hours. And, if it is not possible to venture how that battle will end, it is true, From this Sunday, the dream is more alive than ever.

Evolution of the marathon world record

2:04:55 Paul Tergat (Kenya) – Berlin, 28-9-2003
The2:04:26 Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) – Berlin, 9-30-2007
2:03:59 Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) – Berlin, 28-9-2008
2:03:38 Patrick Makau Musyoki (Kenya) – Berlin, 25-9-2011
2:03:23 Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich (Kenya) – Berlin, 29-9-2013
2:02.57 Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) – Berlin, 28-9-2014
2:01:39 Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) – Berlin 9-16-2018
​2:01:09 Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) – Berlin 9-25-2022