38 GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS IN LONDON MARATHON 2019
The 39th edition of the London Marathon on the 28th April 2019 was unique in various aspects. An amazing amount of 38 Guinness World Records were established by multiple runners. However, it was Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, who stole the show from everybody by winning the London Marathon in great style for a record “Fourth” time in the last five years by clocking the second fastest Marathon run.
Eliud Kipchoge has established himself as the “Greatest Marathon Runner of all time in the World”! Looking at his fitness, dedication, love for Marathon and severe training one really wonders how many more records he will establish in coming months and years?
Eliud Kochoge is the current Marathon World Record holder at 2:01:39, which he had established at the 2018 Berlin Marathon. He clipped 1minute 18 seconds from Dennis Kimetto – the previous record holder and countryman, who held the previous record of 2:02:57 recorded at the 2014 Berlin Marathon.
Eliud Kipchoge’s stellar performance at the 2018 Berlin Marathon is considered as one of the greatest Marathon run. He broke the record with the greatest margin of 1 minute 18 seconds. This magnificent effort is considered as the greatest improvement by a Marathon runner since 1967. At the 2019 London Marathon, Eliud Kipchoge ran the second fastest Marathon by clocking 2:02:37.
Fellow countrywoman Brigid Kosgei’s run of 2:18:20 registered herself as the Women’s Champion at the 39th edition of the London Marathon. She avenged her 2018 defeat from the defending champion Vivian Cheruiyot. Kenyan distance runners have dominated distance running in the world with great panache and magnificent dedication.
Eliud Kipchoge’s – The Greatest Marathoner Ever
Kenya’s distance runner Eliud Kipchoge’s impeccable record in Marathon has established himself as the ‘Greatest Marathoner’ in the world. At the 39th edition of London Marathoner on the 28th of April 2019, he defended his title winning the race with superb precision. In the year 2015, he won the London Marathon for the first time clocking 2:04:42. He defended his title in 2016 winning the race and improving his previous time by 1 minute 37 seconds clocking 2:03:05.
Eliud Kipchoge has been training hard and eyeing to break the 2-hour Marathon barrier. In all likelihood, he will be the first man to do so in near future. In the year 2017, he did not race at the London Marathon. However, he was back in his winning habits at the 2018 London Marathon. He won the race clocking 2:04:17. In a year’s time, he bettered his previous attempt by running the second fastest Marathon clocking 2:02:37 and established a new course record.
Kipchoge and the two Ethiopian runners Mosinet Geremew and Mule Wasihun had broken the field earlier. The trio was running with Kipchoge leading them. In the last two miles, Kipchoge made his move to break from the Ethiopians and surged ahead. He never looked back, because Geremew and Wasihun could not match Kipchoge’s blistering pace. The two Ethiopians also created the fastest second and third place Marathon finishes, while breaking their personal best timings.
Kipchoge trains very hard with his compatriots and pacers. His main focus is to break the 2-hour barrier, so he is very selective about his participation in various Marathons around the world. Having established the World Record at the 2018 Berlin Marathon, the Kenyan ran his first race in London. Kipchoge enthused, “I am happy to win on the streets of London for the fourth time and to make history. The crowd in London is wonderful and that spirit pushed me. From the first km to the last, everybody is shouting. I am happy to cross the line!”
Eliud Kipchoge switched from track to Marathon in the year 2013. On the 21st of April 2013, he won his first Marathon at the 2013 Hamburg Marathon clocking 2:05:30. Five months later, he participated in Berlin Marathon. He bettered his previous attempt clocking 2:04:05. However, the timing was not good enough to win him the title. Fellow countryman Wilson Kipsang established the new Marathon World Record winning the 2013 Berlin Marathon clocking 2:03:23. This is the only Marathon Kipchoge has lost in his career so far.
Kipchoge has won 11 Marathon races out of 12 races he has participated so far. He has won the 2013 Hamburg Marathon, 2014 Rotterdam Marathon, 2014 Chicago Marathon, London Marathon in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019, Berlin Marathon in 2015, 2017 and 2018, and 2016 Summer Olympics Marathon. A very humble human being, he confesses, “It feels strange to be considered the most successful elite man in racing. It is really good and I am very, very happy to have won four times. I know how to win this race and I was confident and did not feel it was in doubt at any point.”
Brigid Kosgei – Women’S Champion
Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei dominated the field of some amazing elite runners from all over the world. She became the youngest female Champion of London Marathon winning the race with her phenomenal run clocking 2:18:20. She triumphed over her rival, the defending Champion Vivian Cheruiyot, who was the runners-up. The field started slowly during the first half of the race. However, Kosgei picked up momentum to increase the pace of the race in the second half.
Brigid Kosgei’s win completed the Kenyan double along with Eliud Kipchoge. Vivian Cheruiyot crossed the line nearly a minute after Kosgei. Ethiopian Roza Dereje was third to earn her podium finish. After the race, Kosgei enthused smiling, “To smash my personal best is all I could ask for. I always get tempted to go with the leaders, but now I run better in the second half, so I held back and that worked for me.”
Brigid Jepscheschir Kosgei was born in Kenya on the 20th of February 1994. She is just 25 and it is amazing to watch her determination to be among the best and win in the competitive field. In her career, she has run 9 Marathons so far. She had won the 2017 Honululu Marathon, the 2018 Chicago Marathon and now the 2019 London Marathon. It is interesting to note that her two Marathon wins have been recorded after having been the runners-up in the two previous editions. At the 2017 Chicago Marathon and the 2018 London Marathon, Kosgei was the runners-up.
At the 2016 Lisbon Marathon Brigid Kosgei trailed behind Sarah Chepchirchir to clock her personal best 2:24:45. In 2017, she participated and won the Bogota Half-Marathon. She was third at the 2017 Copenhagen Half-Marathon. In the year 2017, she bettered her personal best at the 2017 Chicago Marathon clocking 2:20:22. Kosgei’s time was the sixth fastest time ever. She broke the 2006 Course Record held by Russian Lyubov Denisova by 5 minutes 4 seconds clocking 2:22:15 at the 2017 Honululu Marathon.
In 2018, she finished second at the Great North Run. She later disclosed that the Great North Run was the practice run for her Chicago Marathon. In the race, Vivian Cheruiyot was the winner. Later at the 2018 Chicago Marathon, Kosgei avenged her defeat to push Vivian Cheruiyot to the second spot. She bettered her personal best clocking 2:18:35. During the rest of the 2018, Kosgei went onto win the Eldoret Cross Country and the Kalya Half-Marathon in Kenya.
Hayley Carruthers – Breaking the Barrier
The 2019 London Marathon edition will also be remembered for the courageous British marathoner Hayley Carruthers. The 26-year young distance runner pushed the limit to cross the finish line crawling on her knees. Her courageous act to break the barrier to complete the race at all cost won the hearts of Marathon lovers immensely. It also shows what goes through the 42.195 km course.
The women’s race picked up pace and momentum in the second half. Many among the elite runners were unable to keep up the pace with the lead pack. Hayley revealed her condition after the race, “I started counting my steps and my head was gone. I think I lost sight in one eye. I just could not lift my legs at all and I just could not move. It was just petrifying.”
When the pace picked up after 21km mark, Hayley knew her condition was deteriorating. She disclosed, “My legs felt like lead and I felt sick. It gradually got worse and worse. To get to 20 miles and think I have still got another 10km to go, I genuinely did not think I could finish. It is the hardest thing I have ever had to do.” She fought fiercely to combat her demons. As Hayley approached the finish line, she lost everything. Her legs gave away and just few metres ahead, she was on her knees.
With the finishing line so near, the battle within Hayley’s heart and mind courageously made her to crawl towards the finish line. Everyone in the crowd cheered and clapped their hands to encourage the undying spirit of Hayley, who was just not ready to give up as yet. Finally the Marathon marshals came forward to help her cross the line to a thunderous applause and loud cheer from the crowds.
Hayley’s brave attempt saw her finish on the 18th spot clocking 2:33:59. It is magnificent to note that Hayley Carruthers bettered her personal best by 3 minutes. She disclosed, “It was the toughest thing ever to do mentally and physically. Now, I am going to allow my body time to adapt and go back in to training and make sure I don't push too hard again too soon. You learn more from the races that don't go fast as well as you had hoped.”
Hayley Carruthers works as a Cancer Research Radiographer in Birmingham.
