VIENNA, Oct. 12 -- Marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours, clocking 1:59:40.2 here on Saturday.

In a race designed for him, the "Ineos 1:59 Challenge", starting at 8:15 am local time on the Reichsbrucke, the 34-year-old Kenyan ran four laps on the Prater main avenue with the support of alternating teams of pacesetters, including five-time Olympian Bernard Lagat and the three extraordinary Ingebrigtsen brothers from Norway.

Kipchoge is arguably the greatest marathon runner of all-time, claiming victory in ten out of 11 marathons, racking up an uNPRecedented nine successive victories over the 42.195km distance.

With a stunning 2:01:39, he broke the world marathon record in Berlin last year by 78 seconds, which is the largest single improvement on the world record in more than 50 years.

Kipchoge failed in his first bid to complete the first sub-two hour marathon by an agonizing 25 seconds in Italy in 2017.

The achievement will not be recognized as a world record as it was not an open competition.

【体坛英语资讯：Kenyas Kipchoge becomes first person to run marathon in under 2 hours】相关文章：

★ 体坛英语资讯：Zhu leads Guangdong to CBA title with 31 points

★ 体坛英语资讯：ZZ leads New Years Eve charge against Iraq

★ 体坛英语资讯：Kuznetsova ends Sharapovas run

★ 体坛英语资讯：Group rivals cannot meet again in final

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Jolie looks to Africa again for a fifth child

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Depp persuaded to become star by pal Cage

★ 体坛资讯：Late starters face uphill task in China

★ 体坛英语资讯：Big net cast for Chinese tennis champs

★ 体坛英语资讯：Ajax rout Excelsior to narrow gap with Eindhoven

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Britney Spears agreed to visit her kids