History was made at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday by Eliud Kipchoge as he completed the 42.195 kilometres distance in a record time of 2.01:39.
In crossing the finishing line at Brandenburg Gate, he smashed the previous record which was set by Dennis Kimetto in 2014.
It has been over a decade since Australian runner Derek Clayton took such a big chunk out of the world record when he improved on it by almost two and a half minutes in 1967.
The current Olympic distance champion and best marathon runner at the moment, Kipchoge had prepared thoroughly for the race after making a good go at breaking it last year, only to have to deal with rainy conditions.
He was in impressive form from the off and after 16km, Kipchoge had only Josphat Kiptoo Boit for company and he held pace until 25km, an early stage to be left alone in pursuit of his record.
But Kipchoge, whom many already considered the best marathon runner in history even before this feat with 10 wins from his 11 official marathons, has shown once more what he is capable of as he hurtled over the line in a stunning time.
For the fourth time in his career, the 33-year-old has also been quicker in the second part of the race than the first.
The work of a lifetime was complete when he crossed the line and threw himself into the arms of his coach Patrick Sang.
As things stand, he now has seven ‘majors’ – one of the best six marathons in the world, which is another world record.
Among his main objectives going forward, as he has already confessed, is retaining his Olympic title in two years’ time in Tokyo.
