After winning the INEOS 1:59 Challenge, Eluid Kipchoge decided to gift the 41 pacemakers who aided his victory.
The INEOS website reported that the 34-year-old athlete gave each of them a signed trophy.
The move was so as to commemorate their efforts in the highly-anticipated marathon where Kipchoge crossed the finishing line in a record time of 1:59:40.
According to a report by Nation, former 1,500m and 5,000m champion Bernard Lagat and former Commonwealth 5000m champion Augustine Choge were among the 41 pacemakers.
The pacemakers ran in groups of seven, five were constantly ahead of Kipchoge in a ‘V’ formation, with two runners behind him.
Their main role was to dictate Kipchoge’s pace while also protecting him from the wind, which could slow him down.
The first set of pacemakers ran 3km while the rest covered roughly 5km.
New pacemakers joined him after every 4.8km, while the ones who were running with him went out.
The pacemakers behind the Olympic champion did 9.8km, which is a full lap on the Vienna course.
