Brigid Kosgei Breaks World Record At Chicago Marathon

Brigid Kosgei has smashed the women’s marathon world record by winning the Chicago race in 2 hours, 14 minutes and 04 seconds.

The Kenyan smashed the previous world record by Britain’s Paula Radcliffe set in 2003 in London.

It is also a course record as she reduced Radcliffe’s time of 2:17:18 set in Chicago on October 13, 2002.

“I’m happy and I feel good,” said Kosgei. “I ran here last year so I knew it was a good course. There was a little bit of wind but it was okay. People were cheering all along the course, which gave me more energy.”

Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh finished at a distant second, holding off a fast-finishing Gelete Burka as the Ethiopian duo crossed the line in 2:20:51 and 2:20:55 respectively.

Meanwhile, Lawrence Cherono won the men’s race with a dip in the final few metres to cut the tape in 2:05:45, just one second ahead of Ethiopia’s Dejene Debela.

Another Kenyan Bedan Karoki settled for fourth in 2:05:53 while last year’s winner Mo Farah of Britain finished a distant eighth in 2:09:58.

The Chicago victories mark an incredible weekend of marathon running for Kenya after Eliud Kipchoge became the first person to break the two-hour barrier on Saturday in Vienna.