Kipchoge’s accomplishment in the Ineos 1:59 Challenge will not be not be recognised as the official marathon world record by governing body the IAAF because it was not in open competition and he used a team of rotating pacemakers, including many of the world’s best middle and long-distance runners.
He was also handed drinks and energy gels from coaches on bikes over 4.4 laps of a 5.97-mile course in the city’s Prater park.
Kipchoge does hold the official record of 2:01.39, set at the 2018 Berlin Marathon, while Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele fell two seconds short of that mark in this year’s race.
Four-time London Marathon winner Kipchoge clocked 2:00.25 in a similar attempt in Nike’s Breaking 2 Project at the Italian Grand Prix circuit at Monza in 2017, which was also not ratified by the IAAF.
When asked if he could break the two-hour barrier in competition, Kipchoge said: “For now I want to celebrate, I don’t want to pre-empt the future.
“I want to celebrate the history and more will come after getting a rest and starting again to think with my team.”
After crossing the line in front of a large crowd, Kipchoge embraced his wife and three children, was mobbed by his pacemakers and then sprinted off to acknowledge the roadside fans.
“My wife and my children are like the ignition key of a car, they help make me wake up in the morning,” said Kipchoge.
“It was a special time to celebrate and be part of history with them at the finishing line, my family gave me morale and energy to go around.”
