Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday awarded star marathoner Eliud Kipchoge with the country's second highest honor, the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (E.G.H) award.

The feat comes barely two weeks after Kipchoge wrote history by being the first human to run a marathon in under 2 hours, on Saturday October 12.

"Eliud Kipchoge who is alive and here with us has also inspired the world that no human effort is futile, that we can dream and make our dreams a possibility," President Kenyatta said.

"He has demonstrated that through integrity, hard work and commitment to excellence nothing is out of reach," said the president.

The 34-year-old marathoner has also been shortlisted for the IAAF male athlete of the year.

His marathon record earlier this month, added to his London Marathon win, in which he clocked in a course record of 2:02:37, give him a good shot at winning the 2019 athlete of the year award.

"Our very own Eliud Kipchoge who is here with us today has gone beyond the world title he bagged in 2018 and has further achieved the previous unthinkable feat of being the first human being to run the marathon distance in less than two hours," President Kenyatta added.

The president hailed the runner as a living legend, adding that his achievement was a testament that Kenyans are capable of going beyond limits.

(With input from Kenyan Presidency)