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Kipchoge in audacious bid to break 2hr marathon mark

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ELDORET, Kenya: Kenya’s Olympic and two-time London marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge will skip the world championships this year in a bid to break the mythical two-hour barrier for the long-distance event. The 32-year-old Kenyan is one of three top runners selected by American sportswear giant Nike to make the marathon record attempt later this year. Kipchoge believes this may happen as early as May, offering no further details on where or how the race would be held.


“I am proud to be part and parcel of this Nike Breaking2 project ... I am going to break the two-hour mark in May,” Kipchoge said in Eldoret, the high-altitude city in western Kenya used as a training centre for many long-distance runners.


“Many people have expressed doubts whether it would be logical to achieve this sooner than later, but I believe that it is all possible if we train hard and put all our focus on it.”


In 1908, Irishman Johnny Hayes won the first marathon set at the modern distance of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles) in a time of 2:55:18.


In the 109 years since, the record has crumbled to 2:02:57, run by Kenyan Denis Kimetto in 2014.


Kipchoge, a former world 5,000m champion, ran the world’s third fastest marathon time of 2:03.05 when he successfully defended his London marathon title last April.


But the two-hour barrier has never been broken and has become the next big challenge for the event’s elite racers.


‘Audacious’ bid


Respected track and field magazine Runners World has predicted that, based on data analysis, the barrier would only be broken in 2075, and called Nike’s bid “audacious”.


Nike is taking everything that is known about nutrition, training and biomechanics, and some of the world’s best runners — all from East Africa — in order to break the record.However the brand has only been able to choose runners it sponsors, thus excluding current world record holder Kimetto who is sponsored by Adidas.  — AFP


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