Kipchoge breaks sub-two hour marathon barrier
Roger Bannister, 1954. Eliud Kipchoge, 2019?
Like the sub-four minute mile, running a marathon in less than two hours had seemed impossible — until Saturday. But this time there’s an asterisk: Olympic champion Kipchoge performed his feat under conditions so tightly controlled to maximize his success that it won’t appear in the record books.
The 34-year-old Kenyan completed the 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles) in 1 hour, 59 minutes, 40.2 seconds at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, an event set up for the attempt.
Ahead of the event, Kipchoge even compared the feat to being “like the first man on the moon.” Afterward, he drew comparisons to Bannister, the late Briton who 65 years ago became the first athlete to run a mile in under four minutes.
“It is a great feeling to make history in sport after Sir Roger Bannister,” Kipchoge said. “I am the happiest man in the world to be the first human to run under two hours and I can tell people that no human is limited. I expect more people all over the world to run under two hours after today.”
With all variables tailored to his advantage, it was still the full marathon distance but it was no regular marathon race, which means his jaw-dropping finishing time will not be ratified by IAAF.
Different to an ordinary race, event organizers had set a nine-day window to be flexible and stage the run in the best possible weather conditions.
Unlike a normal race, a timing car just in front of the pack also helped keep the scheduled pace, and was equipped with a laser beam, projecting the ideal position on the road, parts of which also had painted stripes to indicate the optimum running line.
Even though his attempt was never meant to set an official world record, Kipchoge was understandably delighted and twice punched his chest in celebration while smiling when he finished.
“That was the best moment of my life,” he said, before adding that he trained 4 ½ months for his extraordinary race against the clock. “The pressure was very big on my shoulders. I got a phone call from the president of Kenya.”
Running at an average pace of 2 minutes, 50 seconds per kilometer (around 4:33 per mile), Kipchoge was 11 seconds ahead of schedule halfway through his run. He then maintained his tempo until the pacemakers left him for the final 500 meters, where he sped up.
It was his second attempt at breaking the twohour barrier, after missing out by 26 seconds at a similar event on the Formula One track in Monza, Italy, in May 2017.
Golf
GRIFFIN LEADS HOUSTON OPEN >> Lanto Griffin recovered from a rain-delayed double-bogey finish to his second round earlier Saturday to post a 7-under-65 — the day’s best score — and secure a single-stroke lead through 54 holes of the Houston Open.
Mark Hubbard is alone in second place at 10-under par after shooting a 69. The 36-hole leader, Peter Malnati, is one of three players two shots back. Malnati shot a 73, including bogeys on two of his first three holes and two of his last three.
Both Griffin and Hubbard are seeking their first PGA Tour titles as are Beau Hossler and Brandon Wu. Hossler fashioned a 68 and Wu a 69 to join Malnati at 9-under.
Six players are tied at -8, including first-round coleaders Austin Cook and Talor Gooch.
The highest-ranked player in the field when the tournament began, Henrik Stenson at 37th, failed to make the even-par cut. Only two of the top 11 players on the leaderboard, Malnati and Austin Cook, have even one Tour title. AUSTIN, BARRON SHARE SAS LEAD >> Woody Austin birdied his last two holes for another 5-under 67 that moved him into a share of the lead with Doug Barron going into the final round of the SAS Championship on the PGA Tour Champions.
Barron, who seemingly took control with an eagle on the 571-yard 12th hole at Prestonwood Country Club, played the last six holes in 1 over for a 68.
They were at 10-under 134.
Jerry Kelly, No. 2 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, had a 67 and was one shot behind. Even if he were to win, Kelly could not replace Scott Mccarron atop the Schwab Cup standings.
Auto racing
AFTER REVIEW, BOYD NAMED TRUCK SERIES RACE WINNER >> Spencer Boyd was named winner of the Truck Series race after Johnny Sauter was stripped of the victory for forcing a driver below the out-of-bounds line at Talladega Superspeedway.
Sauter had blocked his way around the 2.66-mile superspeedway for the final two-lap overtime shootout. His defensive driving included forcing Riley Herbst below the yellow line right before he crossed the finish line. That put the finish under review; NASCAR had to determine if Sauter’s move was illegal.
Soccer
EURO QUALIFYING >> Italy overcame Greece’s defensive tactics for a 2-0 win and qualified for the European Championship, ensuring the Azzurri will play in the tournament’s opening match in Rome next June.