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Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge uncertain over Olympics participation

The 34-year-old is contemplating his next challenge.

Eliud Kipchoge will take his time before deciding whether to defend his Olympic title after making history by becoming the first runner to finish a marathon in under two hours.

The Kenyan, 34, clocked one hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds around the specially tailored course in Vienna on Saturday.

Racing alone, Kipchoge was supported by 41 pacemakers, including former Olympic and world record holders, with the route optimised to avoid wind, incline and directional changes.

(PA)

The milestone was not registered as an official world record but saw Kipchoge better his previous unsuccessful attempt at breaking the two-hour barrier in Monza in May 2017.

Kipchoge, who has won the past two London marathon elite races, took Olympic gold at the Rio Games.

However, he will not rush into any decision as he ponders his next challenge.

"I'm going to take three weeks' rest now and am going to concentrate on my recovery," he said in a question and answer session on his official Facebook page.

Kipchoge took Olympic gold in Rio.
Kipchoge took Olympic gold in Rio (Martin Rickett/PA)

"I haven't really given a thought for any other challenge which is going to come in front of me, so it is purely on recovery now."

Asked by a fan if he would take part in Toyko 2020, Kipchoge said: "It is too early to tell."

The Kenyan added: "I've never announced that I'm no longer going to run (a marathon).

"I am going to recover and then I will decide which marathon or race to run."

Kipchoge hopes his feat will inspire others "not to believe in limits".

He set the marathon world record of two hours, one minute and 39 seconds at the 2018 Berlin Marathon.

Saturday's milestone came around 4.4 laps of a circuit at the Prater park in central Vienna, which saw him and the pacemakers guided by lasers on the road from a support car in front.

Kipchoge, though, is not sure whether such a feat could be achieved during a regulation event.

"I'm still celebrating breaking this barrier, so I don't want to say what will happen in the normal situation of a marathon," he said.

Kipchoge was cheered on by bumper crowds in Vienna.
Kipchoge was cheered on by bumper crowds in Vienna. (Tom Lovelock for The INEOS 1:59 Challenge/PA)

"This was really different because it was just racing against the time.

"You were trying all the time to stay calm and just naturally stay focused on the distance, they were all first-class pacemakers."

Kipchoge's run drew bumper crowds, while there were also joyous scenes in Kenya's capital Nairobi.

"I felt really emotional that people can just take their time to come and stand on the course and cheer me along to make history," he said.

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Olympic medal table header
CountryGold medalSilver MedalBronze MedalT
ChinaChina34241674
United StatesUnited States30352792
JapanJapan22101547
AustraliaAustralia1762043
Olympics flagRussian Olympic Committee16232160
Great BritainGreat Britain16181953
Today's Olympic highlights header

Friday's key events


HOCKEY
· Great Britain's women aim to secure their place on the podium as they face India in the bronze medal match (2.30am)
· Netherlands - silver medallists five years ago - and Argentina battle for the gold medal in the women's final (11am)

BEACH VOLLEYBALL
· The women's gold medal will be decided as Australia and USA go head to head (3.30am)

BOXING
· Lauren Price will be looking to add to Team GB's success in the ring when she takes on Nouchka Fontijn of Netherlands in the women's middleweight semi-final (6am)

DIVING
· Tom Daley already has one Olympic gold to his name in Tokyo, and he begins his bid for second in the men's 10m platform. Teammate Noah Williams is also involved in the preliminary round (7am)

CYCLING
· Jason Kenny's reign as sprint king may be over, but Jack Carlin looked strong in his bid to succeed his compatriot. He takes on Harrie Lavreysen in his sprint semi-final (8.10am), with the final taking place later in the day (10.35am)
· The women's madison makes its Olympic debut at the velodrome as Team GB duo Katie Archibald and Laura Kenny look to add another medal to their collections (9.15am)

FOOTBALL
· Hosts Japan will look to get themselves on the podium as they face Mexico in the men's bronze medal match (10am)
· The women's champions will be crowned as both Sweden and Canada aim to win Olympic gold for the very first time (1pm)

ATHLETICS
· The men's 5000m final includes Great Britain's Andrew Butchart, but most eyes will be on Ugandan world record holder Joshua Cheptegei (1pm)
· Team GB's Jodie Williams will hope to get on the podium in the women's 400m final, but defending champ Shaunae Miller-Uibo is favourite for gold while Stephenie Ann McPherson should challenge and Allyson Felix is bidding to become the most decorated female track and field athlete of all time (1.35pm)
· Netherlands' Sifan Hassan takes on leg two of her ambitious attempt at a Tokyo treble in a women's 1500m final which also includes Great Britain's Laura Muir and Faith Kipyegon of Kenya (1.50pm)
· A star-studded women's 4x100m relay final will see a Team GB quartet including Dina Asher-Smith look to upset defending champions USA and favourites Jamaica, who boast Elaine Thompson-Herah as she goes for her third gold of the Games (2.30pm)
· Great Britain and Jamaica will also be going for gold in the men's 4x100m relay final, and their medal hopes have been boosted by USA's failure to qualify (2.50pm)

> Today's schedule in full
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