Eldoret (Kenya) (AFP)

"Now we can believe it." Just like his older brother, the Kenyans proudly welcomed the feat of runner Eliud Kipchoge on Saturday, the first man to have run a marathon in less than 2 hours.

In the big city of Eldoret (west), where the 34-year-old rider took up residence with his wife and three children, more than a thousand fans came to watch the race held in Vienna, broadcast live on a giant screen installed at one of the main crossroads of the city.

In a feverish excitement, the crowd watched his champion swallow the kilometers, sheltered from the wind by top-level riders dedicated to the feat. Then exulted when Kipchoge crossed the finish line with a clock reading 1:59:40, throwing caps and water bottles.

A giant screen was also installed in Nairobi while all Kenyan TV channels, public and private, broadcast the race live and in full.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta quickly sent his "warm congratulations".

"You did it, you wrote the story and in doing so, made Kenya proud," said the head of state.

"Your victory today will inspire dozens of future generations to dream big and aspire to great things," he said.

"A lightning 1.59.40!" Congratulations Eliud Kipchoge for this historic success, shatter the barrier of two hours in the marathon.You are probably the best runner of all time, "for his part reacted the Vice President of Kenya William Ruto.

The latter, from the same region as Kipchoge, made the trip to Austria.

Athletics, with rugby sevens, is the sport that best federates Kenyans, regardless of their social or ethnic origins.

The proudest Saturday were undoubtedly the runner's relatives, interviewed by AFP in their village of Kapsisiywa, about 45 km south of Eldoret.

While the champion's mother, Janet Rotich, thanked her son for what he had brought "to myself, to Kenya and to the world," Eliud's older brother, Wilson Sugut, said his admiration.

"He (Eliud) told the world that no human being is limited and that he will overcome this two-hour barrier," he said.

"People could not believe it but now we can believe it".

© 2019 AFP