Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge ran a marathon on Saturday in 2 hours and 25 seconds, about 2 1/2 minutes faster than the current world record.
At a racetrack in Monza, Italy, three of the world’s fastest athletes attempted to run 42.2 kilometers (26.2 miles) in under 2 hours in the latest instalment in the battle for runners’ hearts and feet. While they fell short, Kipchoge, the fastest of the three, finished in 2:00:25. The current record 2:02:57 was set by fellow Kenyan Dennis Kimetto in Berlin in 2014. The race used pace runners and a hydration strategy that disqualifies it for an official record.
“Today was history,” former world record sprinter Carl Lewis said after the event in northern Italy. “When this finally happens, we’ll all look back and say man, it started today, in 2017,” Lewis said, referring to the breaking of the 2-hour mark.
“Today was history,” former world record sprinter Carl Lewis said after the event in northern Italy. “When this finally happens, we’ll all look back and say man, it started today, in 2017,” Lewis said, referring to the breaking of the 2-hour mark.