by Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- There can't be any doubt that Eliud Kipchoge is one of the greatest athletes after setting a new world record at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday.
The way he crossed the finish line might stand for a man coming along with many additional talents and inexhaustible human empathy.
The Kenyan two-time Olympic champion seemed to happily please the hopes of several photographers lying on the street only a few meters behind the target band to cover the historic moment.
The 37-year-old provided the eagerly awaited radiant smile, making him gain new friends in the German capital.
It might have felt like coming home for Kipchoge when he prepared for the record hunt in the Tiergarten Park over the past days.
Kipchoge grabbed a Kenyan flag and kept on cheering tens of thousands of fans that had gathered near one of the city's famous buildings such as the Brandenburg Gate.
The runner broke barriers again as it was a piece of cake in a spot that seems tailor-made for long-distance running records.
Several recent records, including 2:01:39 clocked by Kipchoge in 2018, have been achieved in Berlin.
The man talking of the human mind as the strongest muscle and driving source must have felt at home flying over the surface in an enchanting way.
"Running makes a happy world," said Kipchoge, followed by his advice that "sports can prolong one's life and unite people. It contains the message that teamwork triggers achievements and progress for all."
To make people happy is one of his life tasks, he repeated.
Kipchoge keeps his desire for running at an advanced age alive as he promised but said plans to break the two-hour border need to be shifted into the future. "Today it is time to celebrate today's achievements."
That seems to address his claim "to inspire the young generation" as he is convinced to deliver passion for his sport. ■