Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, renowned as the world’s greatest marathon runner, recently shattered his own record at the Berlin Marathon by completing the race in an unprecedented time. This significant achievement indicates an impressive improvement from his previous record of 2:01:39 set four years earlier in the same city. The Berlin Marathon is considered to have the fastest track globally, primarily attributed to its flat and smooth roads.
Digging Into the Origin and Nature of Marathons
The term ‘marathon’ finds its roots in a Greek legend that narrates the story of Pheidippides. He had reportedly run from the Plains of Marathon to Athens in 490 BCE to announce Greeks’ victory over the Persian army. This historical run led to the debut of a running race based on this legendary tale at the Olympic Games in 1896. A marathon constitutes a long-distance race stretching over 42 kilometers or approximately 26 miles. Runners participate in this rigorous activity on roads, demanding massive energy, determination, and endurance.
Abebe Bikila: Another Marathon Legend
Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia stands tall among the all-time greats in marathon running. He made history by becoming the first black African to clinch Olympic gold at the 1960 Rome Games, where he finished the marathon in a world-record time. Bikila further solidified his place in history when he successfully defended his title four years later.
Reflecting on Previous UPSC Civil Services Examination Questions
In the past UPSC Civil Services Examination, several questions related to sports awards and events were posed. One such question was about the Laureus World Sports Award, established in 2000. The award celebrates the year’s greatest and most inspirational sporting achievements. Tiger Woods, the American golfer, was the first recipient of this prestigious award.
However, contrary to common belief, the award has not been received mostly by ‘Formula One’ players. Instead, it is the Men’s Football Team that has won the award most frequently (6 times in total). Nonetheless, the individual who has received this award the maximum number of times is Roger Federer. He has been honored five times, followed by Usain Bolt and Novak Djokovic, both having been celebrated four times each.
Another involved query highlighted facts related to the 32nd Summer Olympics. The Tokyo 2020 Games, held from July 23 to August 8, 2021, marked the continuation of the tradition of hosting the Olympics every four years since 1948. However, the Tokyo Olympic 2020 was shifted to 2021 due to the Covid pandemic. “United by Emotion” served as the official motto for this edition, emphasizing the unifying power of sports. This Olympics included several sports like Rugby, Sport Climbing, Fencing, Football, Skateboarding, Handball, Surfing, Karate, Baseball, among others.
The examination also featured questions about the ICC World Test Championship. Contrary to the standard belief, the finalists are decided based on the percentage of points earned rather than the number of matches won. This revised point system permits comparison of teams’ relative performances at any time, ensuring that any cancellations do not directly influence the points table. Interestingly, New Zealand, the first team to qualify for the inaugural final, was ahead of England due to its points (126 after playing 22 matches) rather than winning more matches.
Last Modified: February 18, 2024