MONZA, Italy (AP) — Eliud Kipchoge was 26 seconds from making history on Saturday, but the Olympic champion finished just short of becoming the first person to run a marathon in less than two hours.
Kipchoge ran the 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers) in an impressive 2 hours, 25 seconds, smashing Dennis Kimetto’s world mark of 2:02:57 by 2 1/2 minutes and raising hopes that one of world sport’s most famous barriers can be broken.
“We are human,” Kipchoge said. “I am happy that I’ve reduced by 2 1/2 minutes the world record.”
The Kenyan added: “We are going up the tree … I have lifted a branch and I am going onto the next one.