World record marathon run

KENYA’S Brigid Kosgei shattered Paula Radcliffe’s 16-year-old world record yesterday, winning the Chicago Marathon in two hours, 14 minutes and four seconds.

Kosgei broke the mark of 2:15:25 set by Radcliffe in the London Marathon on April 13, 2003 as she won in Chicago for the second straight year.

Kosgei, the 25-year-old who also won in London in April and clocked the fastest half-marathon in history this year of 1:04:28 at the Great North Run, quickly separated herself from the women’s field as she ran with two male pace-setters.

Lawrence Cherono made it a Kenyan double with victory in the men’s race, as Mo Farah finished a distant eighth to end a week when he hit back at critics over his work with disgraced coach Alberto Salazar.

Kosgei crossed the finish line alone, with Ethiopians Ababel Yeshaneh and Gelete Burka a second and third in 2:20:51 and 2:20:55. “I’m happy and I feel good,” Kosgei said.

“People were cheering all along the course, which gave me more energy.

“I felt my body was moving, moving, moving, so I went for it.” While the IAAF called the 2:17:01 clocked by Mary Jepkosgei Keitany at the 2017 London Marathon a “women only” world record posted without male pace-setters, it’s Radcliffe’s mark — so long untouchable — that has been the grail for female marathon runners.

The British great was in Chicago and posed for photos with Kosgei. “I think we’ve always known that time was going to come,” Radcliffe said.

“When I saw how fast Brigid was running in the first part of the race, if she was able to hold that together, she was always going to beat the time.”

Radcliffe had also held the Chicago course record of 2:17:18 — set in winning the 2002 race in what was then a world record.