Eliud Kipchoge ran 1:59:40.2 in Nike’s 2019 INEOS 1:59 Challenge.
The event took place on October 12, 2019, in Vienna, Austria. Kipchoge became the first person to run a marathon distance in under two hours, completing the 26.2-mile equivalent in 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 40.2 seconds.
The attempt was designed as a controlled exhibition rather than a standard race. Kipchoge received pacing support from rotating groups of runners, and a vehicle projected a laser line to help maintain the target pace. Nike supplied the athlete’s racing footwear and was a major technical partner through the project.
The time was not recognized as an official marathon world record because the event did not meet normal competition rules. Kipchoge’s achievement therefore remains an unofficial sub-two-hour marathon, while his official race records are listed separately in athletics statistics.