Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei winning the women’s marathon in Chicago, yesterday.
CHICAGO: Kenyan Brigid Kosgei broke Paula Radcliffe’s 16-year-old women’s marathon world record by more than a minute when she ran two hours, 14 minutes, four seconds at the Chicago Marathon yesterday.
Kosgei set a blistering pace from the start to shatter the record of 2:15:25 set by Briton Radcliffe in London in April 2003.
“They (spectators) were cheering, cheering and I got more energy to keep faster,” returning champion Kosgei said.
Kosgei, who maintained a commanding lead throughout the race, thrust her hands in the air in triumph as she crossed the finish line, more than six minutes ahead of the second-place finisher Ababel Yeshaneh of Ethiopia. Kenyan Lawrence Cherono sprinted past Ethiopian Dejene Debela to win the men’s race.
Cherono clocked an unofficial two hours, five minutes, 45 seconds to add to his Boston Marathon title.
Debela was a second back as British defending champion Mo Farah placed eighth in 2:09.58 and Galen Rupp failed to finish.
