As soon as the world record (which he already held) was broken, Eliud Kipchoge set out to conquer another. The 37-year-old runner is impressing his fans, observers, but also former athletes.
Eliud Kipchoge is arguably one of the greatest record hunters in the history of athletics. While he just broke the world record at the Berlin Marathon with a time of 2:01:08 (a record he held with a time of 2:01:39), the Kenyan wants to go even higher. He still has his goal, which he set three years ago: to be the first man to run a marathon in less than two hours.
"I believe I still have time to show the world how to push the limits. I can still run my personal best in the near future, I can still try again," Eliud Kipchoge told the BBC. An overflowing ambition for the Kenyan runner, who doesn't want to stop there.
Paula Radcliffe impressed
At 37, Eliud Kipchoge is at the top of the world marathon. The two-time reigning Olympic champion is shocking fans, but also former athletes, like Paula Radcliffe. The British woman, herself a former world record holder in the women's marathon, is speechless at the Kenyan's performance. "I think we all thought that if anyone was in shape right now to break that world record, it would be him. Every year, as he gets a year older and the odds are stacked against him a little bit more, he still manages to challenge them," the 48-year-old former champion first told the BBC.
Impressed by Eliud Kipchoge's talent, Radcliffe is also impressed by his determination. She says, "He doesn't set any limits for himself. And I think that really helps his mindset. He loves to set these goals just to get better, to try to push things to move the bar a little higher all the time."
