INEOS 1:59 Challenge

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(Newswire.net — August 8, 2019) — Scheduled to take place between October 12th and 20th, Kenyan World record holder Eliud Kipchoge will attempt to become the first human in history to break this record. This is a challenge that punters have been supporting using the latest Matchbook promotions. This being called the INEOS 1:59 challenge.

Kipchoge is the current World record holder in the marathon following running a 2:01:39 in Berlin and is recently coming off the back of winning his fourth London Marathon. This will be his second attempt to break this barrier, following on from him running a 2:00:25 during the 2018 Nike Breaking2 event. 

The attempt is being sponsored by manufacturing company INEOS. Following extensive market research it has been decided that the race will take place in Vienna, Austria. This will be on a flat 9.6k circuit in a shaded park called the Prater. They have left an eight day window for when this will take place, due to the potential for hazardous weather conditions. Kipchoge will run out and back on a 4.3k stretch of tree-lined pavement roughly 4.5 times. At each end of stretch, it will offer prime viewing for spectators, who will also be lining each side of the road. The marathon is unlikely to be eligible for a world record however, due to the controlled nature of the event.

Vienna is not as widely recognised as other locations for marathon running but this has a large number of benefits to give him the greatest chance of successfully completing the challenge. These include the fact the weather is usually ideal at that time of year and the air is fresh, which is shown in the fact the area is called the ‘green lung of Vienna’. The course is also easily accessible for spectators and the time zone is just one hour difference to that of his training camp back in Kenya.

This challenge was announced on the 65th anniversary of Sir Roger Bannister’s historic sub-4.00 mile in Oxford, England. Can Kipchoge now break another barrier in running a sub two-hour marathon?