Kenya's Brigid Kosgei Sets World Marathon Record In Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS/AP) — Brigid Kosgei of Kenya finished Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday in 2 hours, 14 minutes, 4 seconds to break the women's world record in the event.
The 25-year-old Kosgei bested the previous mark of 2:15:25 set by Paula Radcliffe in London 16 years ago.
"I was not expecting to run like this," Kosgei said.
Kosgei also broke the longstanding Chicago record of 2:17:18, which was set in 2002.
"Kosgei's record follows a great tradition in Chicago started by Steve Jones in 1984 when he set the first world record here," Carey Pinkowski, Bank of America Chicago Marathon executive race director, said in a news release. "This is the fifth world record we've had in Chicago and the fourth that I've been a part of. It's extremely exciting, and it hasn't quite sunken in yet. This just reinforces how fast athletes can run right here in Chicago."
Second- and third-place runners-up Anabel Yeshaneh and three-time Olympian Gelete Burka finished almost seven minutes behind Kosgei. Yeshaneh's time was 2:20:51 and Burka's was 2:20:55
Kosgei also won in Chicago last year in 2:18:35.
Kosgei's run came little more than 24 hours after fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge became the first man to run 26.2 miles in less than two hours, clocking 1:59:41 in Vienna. Unlike Kipchoge's performance, however, Kosgei's mark was set in an official race on a record-eligible course.
Lawrence Cheronon of Kenya won the men's race in 2:05:45. Ethiopia's Dejene Debela was second in 2:05:46 and Asefa Mengstu was third in 2:05:48. Cherono was also the 2019 Boston Marathon champion.
Bedan Karoki of Kenya took the lead for a time during the race, and wound up finishing fourth.
Past Chicago Marathon champions Mo Farah, Galen Rupp, and Dixon Chumba were in the race, but Farah and Rupp fell short. Rupp did not finish the race – dropping out at mile 23 – while Farah hung on and finished eighth.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
