Kenyan Brigid Kosgei broke Paula Radcliffe’s 16-year-old women’s marathon world record in the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 13
The 25-year-old Kosgei set a blistering pace from the start to run two hours, 14 minutes, four seconds and shatter Radcliffe’s previous record of 2:15:25 which the Briton set in London in April 2003.
“They (spectators) were cheering, cheering and I got more energy to keep faster,” said Kosgei, the defending Chicago champion who also won this year’s London Marathon.
Radcliffe witnessed the fall of her record.
“We always knew the time would come when the record would be broken,” said Radcliffe. “When I saw how fast Brigid was running in the first half of the race, I knew she had a good chance of getting the record.
“I’ve always said 17 is my lucky number and it was exactly 17 years ago to the day that I set my first world record here in Chicago.”