Six Ugandans to help Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge in marathon record bid

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT & AFP |  Ronald Musagala and Abdallah Mande, fresh from the World Athletics Championships, will be two of six Ugandans lined up to help Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, as he attempts to break the 2-hour barrier in the marathon on Saturday.

The others are long distance aces Thomas Ayeko, Mande Bushendich, Jacob Kiplimo and Timothy Toroitich. There will be 41 pace makers.

Norwegian siblings Henrik, Filip and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, also fresh from Doha,  will act as pace setters when Kipchoge tries again to break two hours for a marathon, in Vienna on October 12.

Olympic champion and world record holder Kipchoge has already had one tilt at a sub two-hour time at the Monza race track in May 2017.

On that occasion the 34-year-old was just 25 seconds off the mark in a specially-prepared race using a pacemaker vehicle, as well as runners positioned to shield him in a bid to cut wind resistance.

The assistance meant his time could not be validated by the IAAF. That will also be the case in Vienna. The world record, which the Kenyan set in Berlin last year, is 2hr 01min 39sec.

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Kipchoge flew to the venue from Kenya last night on a chartered flight.

The G.O.A.T’s take off… @EliudKipchoge is flying a private jet tonight to Vienna for the @INEOS159 . Eliud is accompanied by his coach Patrick Sang and some of his pace setters.. Safe flight Mr..Philosopher. Bring 1:59 home.. #INEOS159 #NoHumanIsLimited pic.twitter.com/70g2ZHHd4x

— Katami Michelle (@MichKatami) October 7, 2019

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