"My dream has been realized with 500m to go"- When Eliud Kipchoge opened up about breaking the 2-hour marathon barrier in 2019

In 2019, Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge did the unthinkable by finishing a marathon within two hours. The then-35-year-old won the INEOS 1:59 Challenge race with an impressive timing of 1:59:40s at Vienna’s Prater Park.

With the win, he became the first man in history to complete a marathon in under two hours. However, the athlete’s efforts were not recognized by the IAAF as it was an unofficial event. Other factors also contributed to nullifying Kipchoge’s achievement. He had used a special pacemaker and was frequently provided hydration by his team.

However, when the athlete initially won the race, he did not shy away from expressing his happiness. He told Runner’s World immediately after the win:

“There was no point I doubted myself. I always believed in myself.”

Furthermore, he shared how his two-hour marathon could inspire people globally. He said:

"I’m the happiest man to run for under two hours in order to inspire many people, to tell people that no human is limited. You can do it. Together, we can make this world a running world, we can this world a beautiful world and a peaceful world."

He further added:

"My wife and my three children have given me moral support. I’m happy for them to come and witness the history.

"In my mind: I feel like my dream has been realized with 500m to go. That gave me the confidence that today’s the day."

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Kelvin Kiptum chasing Eliud Kipchoge’s feat of running a two-hour marathon

Kipchoge at 2023 BMW Berlin-Marathon

After Eliud Kipchoge’s two-hour marathon timing went unrecognized in 2019, he set a world record at the 2022 Berlin Marathon by clocking 2:01:09s.

However, a year later, Kipchoge’s timing was beaten by compatriot Kelvin Kiptum. At the 2023 Chicago Marathon, the 24-year-old completed the race in 2:00:35s.

After Kiptum’s terrific achievement, Eliud Kipchoge even changed his Instagram bio. His previous bio read "1:59:40 | 2:01:09 WR| 2x Olympic Champion," which was changed to "1:59:40 | 2x Olympic Champion."

On the other hand, Kelvin Kiptum claimed after winning the Chicago Marathon that he could run the two-hour marathon someday. He told Olympics.com in October 2023:

“The world record is not in the plan for now, but in the future I know I can run 2:00 or something like that.”