Organisers of the Ineos 1:59 Challenge, Eliud Kipchoge’s attempt to run the first sub-two hour marathon, have agreed a partnership with video sharing website YouTube for next month’s event.
The Ineos 1:59 Challenge YouTube channel will stream the entire live broadcast of the event, which is being delivered by Sunset+Vine, the British sports production and media company.
Organisers said viewers will also have the option to watch the race coverage on what they claim will be a groundbreaking second screen option on the Challenge’s official website, promising interactivity as yet unseen in athletics coverage.
Sunset+Vine landed the contract to the event earlier this month and is serving as host production and distribution partner.
With three weeks to go, S+V today (Thursday) said 30 broadcasters within 200-plus territories worldwide have agreed to broadcast the Challenge live, with more to be broadcasters to be announced in the coming weeks.
Broadcasters showing the Ineos 1:59 Challenge live include:
- Austria: ORF
- Australia: Network Seven
- France: L’Equipe, Canal+
- Italy: Mediaset
- Kenya: KBC, Citizen TV & Standard Group
- Mexico: Claro Sports
- Netherlands: Fox Sports
- New Zealand: Sky NZ
- Norway: NRK
- Spain: TVE – Teledeporte
- Pan Africa: MNET, FOX Africa & Star Times
- USA: NBC.
Additional broadcasters that have agreed to show highlights, news and programming from the Challenge include:
- Australia: 7Plus
- China: CCTV, CCTV5-APP, CCTV English News/CGTN and CCTVSE TikTok
- Italy: Fox Italy
- Germany: ZDF
- Japan: NHK
- UK: Sky Sports
- USA: ESPN
- Worldwide: CNBC.
Tom Crotty, Ineos group director for corporate affairs and communications, said: “The innovative second screen is an absolute first for athletics and will give viewers the choice of a wide array of content including camera angles, exclusive content, Eliud’s road to the Challenge, data timing feeds and much more.”
The Challenge will take place on October 12 in The Prater, a park known as the ‘green lung of Vienna’.
The Ineos 1:59 Challenge will mark Kipchoge’s second attempt to become the first person to run a marathon in under two hours. The Kenyan, who is regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time, clocked 2:00:25 in a specially-created event which was not recognised as an official world record at Monza, Italy in May 2017.