Kenya's Brigid Kosgei smashes 16-year women's marathon world record in Chicago

Brigid Kosgei broke the world record set 16 years ago Britain's Paula Radcliffe as the Kenyan won the Chicago women’s marathon.

Kosgei’s time of 2:14:04 was 81 seconds quicker than the time recorded at the London Marathon in 2003 and comes just a day after her compatriot Eliud Kipchoge became the first person to run a sub two-hour race (although not an official world record).

The 25-year-old retained her Chicago title with the win, adding it to her win in London earlier this year where she became the youngest ever winner of the race with a time of 2:18:20. 

However, it was clear that this wasn't the sole plaudit she was chasing this year as there has been repeated suggestions in the media that Kosgei was preparing to make a serious assault of Radcliffe's record, rumors which appeared to have added credence in the cold and sunny conditions which are thought to be ideal for marathon running.

She began the race incredibly fast, running the first five miles well within world record pace and leading to suggestions that she would run out of steam towards the end of the race. Despite slowing somewhat after this point she still hit the midway point of the race over a minute faster than Radcliffe's pace.

Soon it became clear that, barring a catastrophe, the world record was going to change hands but the Kenyan says she wasn't assured of the record until she crossed the finishing line.

"I am feeling good, and I am happy because I was not expecting this," she said. "But I felt my body was moving, moving, moving so I went for it."

Her time in Chicago, which would have been good enough for a men's world record in 1964, has been beaten by just 22 runners in the men's race and Radcliffe said she knew her record was gone when she saw the initial pace set by Kosgei. 

"If you had told me when I set it in 2003, that it would last that long I wouldn’t have believed it," she said after posing for a photograph with Kosgei. "But I always knew this time would come - and when I saw how fast Brigid was running today I knew the record would go if she could maintain her pace."

The new women's world record comes just a day after Eliud Kipchoge became the first man to run a marathon in under two hours, though his attempt at the feat was achieved with the help of a laser pacemaker, energy gels and the help of support runners, meaning it won't count as an official world record.