Former US President Barack Obama has sent out a congratulatory message to Kenyan Marathoner Eliud Kipchoge after breaking 2-hour marathon barrier, in Vienna, Austria.
Barrack Obama's tweet on Eliud Kipchoge after breaking 2-hour marathon barrier
Kipchoge is the first athlete to ever run a marathon in under two hours.
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In a tweet, Obama mentioned that Kipchoge is a remarkable example of humanity’s ability to endure and keep raising the bar.
He went on to salute Brigid Kosgei, who on Sunday set a new record in women’s marathon in Chicago.
“ Yesterday, marathoner Eliud Kipchoge became the first ever to break two hours. Today in Chicago, Brigid Kosgei set a new women’s world record. Staggering achievements on their own, they’re also remarkable examples of humanity’s ability to endure—and keep raising the bar” reads Brack Obama’s tweet.
New Record
On Saturday, Kipchoge became the first athlete to ever run a marathon in under two hours. The Kenyan Olympic champion smashed the INEOS 1:59 challenge in Vienna, Austria, completing the 26.2 mile course in one hour, 59 minutes and 40 second.
"This shows no-one is limited. Now I've done it, I am expecting more people to do it after me... This shows the positivity of sport. I want to make it a clean and interesting sport. Together when we run, we can make it a beautiful world," the 34-year-old gold medalist said.
However, Kipchoge's achievement will not count as an official world record, as the INEOS 1:59 was not an open competition, but rather an event designed with the specific goal of breaking the two hour mark which Kipchoge did by a whole 20 seconds.
Obama's Tweet
Chicago Marathon
On the other hand, Kenya's Brigid Kosgei broke Paula Radcliffe's 16-year-old women's marathon world record as she defended her Chicago title. The 25-year-old finished in a time of two hours, 14 minutes and four seconds, beating Radcliffe's mark of two hours, 15 minutes and 25 seconds - set at the London Marathon in 2003.
Kosgei finished more than six minutes ahead of Ababel Yeshaneh, who ran two hours, 20 minutes and 51 seconds, and Gelete Burka who ran two hours, 20 minutes and 55 seconds as Ethiopia finished second and third.
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