There's a new world marathon record holder.
A 33-year-old runner from Kenya broke the previous world marathon record in Berlin by 78 seconds.
Eliud Kipchoge completed the race in 2 hours, 1 minute, 39 seconds, beating the last record holder, Dennis Kimetto, by one minute and 18 seconds, reports The Guardian Sports.
“It was hard,” Kipchoge later admitted. “I was prepared to run my own race early, so I wasn’t surprised to be alone. I have trained so well for this race and have full trust in the programs of my coach. I am just so incredibly happy to have finally run the world record as I never stopped having belief in myself.”
2:01:40!!
THE GREATEST OF ALL-TIME IS NOW THE FASTEST OF ALL-TIME
ELIUD KIPCHOGE BREAKS THE MARATHON WORLD RECORD. pic.twitter.com/aZXxUZuRt3
— Chris Chavez (@ChrisChavez) September 16, 2018
Kipchoge is the first person in four years even to come close to breaking the record. He is joined by another Kenyan who also set new records with her win Sunday. Gladys Cherono completed the marathon in 2 hours, 18 minutes, 11 seconds.
“I was running my own race, so it didn’t worry me that Tirunesh [Dibaba of Ethiopia] was in front,” Cherono said after the race. “My training was good, and when I took over the lead at halfway, I was feeling very strong. I wanted negative splits. I never looked behind, because I was not fearing anybody.”
According to Runner's World, she is the fourth fastest woman in history to complete the marathon. Cherono is no stranger to the Berlin Marathon. She has come in first place three times, and this latest win is her second straight for the 35-year-old Kenyan.
Brilliant performance by Gladys Cherono at the #BerlinMarathon2018 Women's race. Congratulations for setting a new course record. You have once again made the Kenyan flag???????? fly high. Hongera #TeamKenya
pic.twitter.com/FxiWed3tWh— Uhuru Kenyatta (@UKenyatta) September 16, 2018
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