US Media Editor Angers Online Users for Labeling Kipchoge’s Marathon Record Fake

An editor for an American media house has received a backlash from social media users for terming Kenyan athlete Eliud Kipchoge’s Saturday marathon record as ‘fake.’

Kipchoge, 34, made history in Vienna, Austria after becoming the first man to complete a 42-kilometer race in less than two hours. He crossed the finish line in 1 hour 59 minutes 40 seconds.

In an opinion piece titled 'The greatest, fakest world record', Paul Bisceglio, an editor for the Atlantic media organization opined that Kipchoge ran the fastest time ever over the marathon distance, but did not 'run a marathon'.

"Such an extensive level of support, combined with the fact that Kipchoge wasn’t actually competing against anybody, pushed the event outside of official marathon conditions and prevented his performance from counting as a true record," Bisceglio wrote.

"The organisers were fully aware of this; the event, as Outside magazine aptly referred to it, is perhaps best understood as an “exhibition marathon.”

"The organisers scouted out a six-mile circuit along the Danube River that was flat, straight, and close to sea level," he continued.

"The pacesetters, a murderers’ row of Olympians and other distance stars, ran seven-at-a-time in a wind-blocking formation devised by an expert of aerodynamics."

“Yesterday a human ran under two hours in the marathon. It was an extraordinary achievement—but not in the way you might think. I had some thoughts!” he went on to say in a tweet.

Bisceglio’s opinion piece rubbed online users the wrong way as evidenced in the comments on his tweet.

@AfroMelanated said: "Never have I seen so many words put together to make an incoherent argument. He had unfettered access to his favourite carbohydrate-rich drink" Are you saying mursik gave him unfair advantage? Screaming!"

@kenhesser replied: "What a garbage take. Marathon WRs are always going to be “tainted” by the conditions, course, etc. Calling the achievement “fake” is offensive." 

@jackaloh wrote: "The author should be reminded that the current World Marathon Record is held by the same person. He was not running to break his own record but to inspire and show others it can be done in under two hours." 

@Kamungah stated: "What a waste of your weekend. If writing is your talent, I wonder how much technological assistance you'd need to be any good. I haven't seen any claim that it's a marathon world record, or dismissal of the tech at play. It is purely a man's attempt at breaking a barrier."

@FakeFan50 posed: "Good God, the tone of this article is so bitter I couldn't help but think the author is a bit jealous he will never get close to a pace this fast."

@TuJadili quipped: "Kenyans used to run without shoes before all these hi-tech shoes were invented. They still won. You won't spoil for Kipchoge the way you guys whitewashed Semenya's success." 

@Alibash_Mohamed reacted: "Yeah. He was carried in a vehicle and he had wings attached to him. So he flew! Fakest!"

@PeterNyaundi said: "As if Americans landed on the moon barefoot. Silly." 

@thechelanga noted: "Focus on Trump impeachment. American Media has nothing positive on black achievements!"