Eliud Kipchoge is looking for new challenges after bettering his own world marathon record ©Getty Images

Eliud Kipchoge, who yesterday took 30 seconds off his own world marathon record in running 2 hours 1min 9sec in Berlin, will now be setting his sights on either the New York City or Boston titles.

Speaking before his latest record-breaking performance, Kipchoge said: "Running all six major marathons is still on my bucket list - running New York and Boston is still on my bucket list.

"I have to complete all the six marathons to get that medal!"

The Six Star Medal was introduced by the World Marathon Majors in 2016 to honour the runners who complete all six major marathons.

But given that the 37-year-old Kenyan has now won the Berlin race on four of the six occasions he has taken part in it, and has also won London four times, and Chicago and Tokyo once, the organisers might be well advised to be thinking in terms of a unique medal for a runner who has not just completed, but won on all six courses.

Before setting out on what he conservatively insisted would be "a very good race" - "and if I have a personal best I will celebrate" - Kipchoge spoke in praise of the fast, flat Berlin course he has raced upon more than any other.

"Berlin is a very good place where a human being can push their limits," he said.

Eliud Kipchoge, who bettered his own world marathon record in Berlin yesterday, still has the New York City and Boston Marathons on his
Eliud Kipchoge, who bettered his own world marathon record in Berlin yesterday, still has the New York City and Boston Marathons on his "bucket list" ©Getty Images

"I can tell people that if you want to push your limits, come to Berlin."

Kipchoge certainly lived up to his words yesterday as he passed the halfway point in 59min 50sec, but while he had hinted that the world record would be under threat he had not raised the prospect of matching the feat he achieved in Vienna in 2019 when, with special assistance in terms of pacing and fluid intake, he completed the distance in 1:59.40.2.

That time is not eligible to be a world record because of the added assistance.

"That was making history but running in Berlin was a world record," Kipchoge said.

"I trust I have shown the way to the next generation that one day a human being will run under two hours on a normal course like Berlin or somewhere else."

Then again Kipchoge has not ruled out doing such a thing himself "one fine day".

As well as seeking to run the Boston Marathon and New York Marathon, Kipchoge is also committed to trying to become he first athlete to win three Olympic marathon gold medals at Paris 2024.