How Eliud Kipchoge’s Water Bottle Handler Claus Henning Schulke Helped Him Set New World Record in Berlin

• Eliud Kipchoge set a new marathon record at the Berlin Marathon after successfully breaking his own record that he set in 2018
• In as much as a very good percentage of the fete was his own doing, the Kenyan star got help from other quarters
• Kipchoge had a bottle handler who was in charge of passing him water drinks at specific spots throughout the race

Following Eliud Kipchoge's triumph at the Berlin Marathon over the weekend, footwear manufacturing giant Nike captioned the moment with a wonderful statement.

The only man faster than Eliud Kipchoge is Eliud Kipchoge himself.

The world marathon record holder managed to lower the world record by 30 seconds after clocking 2:01:09, to further cement his status as the best marathoner the world has ever seen.

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Like any other sport, it was a team effort, from his sponsors INEOS to his trainer Patrick Sang. The long weeks of hard work in Kaptagat, Uasin Gishu finally paid off.

But there was an unsung hero in Kipchoge's triumph - his water bottle handler.

Meet Claus-Henning Schulke, a German who has now become synonymous with Kipchoge's success. Schulke is responsible for giving Kipchoge his hydration drinks at specific points across the 42-kilometre race.

On Sunday in Berlin, he captured the world's attention with his mini-celebrations every time he completed a successful handover. He was at hand to ensure Kipchoge remained hydrated as he attempted to achieve his targets.

As soon as he completed one handover, Schulke would celebrate before hopping onto his bicycle as he followed Kipchoge to the next hydration stop. WhownsKenya reports that the duo first met in 2018 when Kipchoge first broke the marathon record.

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He volunteered to be part of Kipchoge's team. A former marathoner himself, he agreed to wear a template of Kipchoge's name on his hand to make it easier for Kipchoge to spot him without necessarily losing focus.

Ideally, Kipchoge needs to 'refuel' at least 13 times in the race. Therefore, Schulke must ensure that once he has completed one handover, he must beat Kipchoge to the next drink station. It's not easy, considering that Kipchoge's pace stands at approximately 20 kilometres per hour.

Schulke has had a hand in two of the fastest times in marathon races. Kipchoge's focus will now turn to the Paris Olympics in 2024 and Schulke will be hoping he can continue to be part of the success story of the 37-year-old, who has set unprecedented records in marathon history.

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Sports Brief had earlier reported that World marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge has sent out an invite to former United States of America President Barack Obama.

Kipchoge has communicated his desire to race against the former world leader.

The double Olympic champion was asked the one person he would love to race with, either dead or alive and he settled on Obama.