Six weeks after a fourth-place finish at the NYC Marathon, Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei gave the distance another shot to solidify a spot on Team Kenya for Paris. She ended up shattering the women’s course record by more than a minute at Saturday’s Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon in UAE.
The reigning Olympic marathon silver medallist, Kosgei completed the race in two hours, 19 minutes and 15 seconds, breaking the previous record of 2:20:41 set by Bahrain’s Eunice Chumba in 2022. Enduring warm conditions of around 23 C, Kosgei pulled away from the field in the final 10 km, holding a commanding lead over Ethiopian runners Hawi Feysa Gejia and Sintayehu Dessi (nearly five minutes).
ثلاثي كيني على خط النهاية في سباق السيدات#ماراثون_أدنوك_أبوظبي@AbuDhabiSC@ADNOCADmarathon pic.twitter.com/h5Rk94BwUv
— قناة أبوظبي الرياضية (@ADSportsTV) December 16, 2023
The 29-year-old former marathon world record holder not only claimed the USD $50,000 winner’s cheque but also earned a bonus $30,000 for setting a new course record. “This was my first time in Abu Dhabi. My aim from the outset was to win this race,” Kosgei said to UAE News N Sport. “Now I have done it in a course record time, and I want to come back next year to defend my title.”
This race marked only Kosgei’s second completed marathon of 2023; she spent a significant portion of the year on the sidelines due to injury. Her last marathon win came at the Tokyo Marathon in 2022.
Earlier this month, Kosgei was named one of the 10 women shortlisted for the Kenyan Olympic marathon team. Kosgei’s win in Abu Dhabi on Saturday significantly strengthens her position for selection. Before her victory, Kosgei was likely on the outside looking in on Olympic selection, only holding a fourth-place finish at the 2023 New York City Marathon behind two of her Kenyan compatriots, Hellen Obiri and Sharon Lokedi. Her win in Abu Dhabi shows the Kenyan selection committee that she’s healthy and in shape eight months out from the Paris Olympics.
Athletics Kenya now faces the challenging task of selecting three women from the pool of 10 athletes to represent Kenya in the 2024 Olympic marathon, along with two provisional athletes. The organization has announced plans to narrow down the team to five members (three competitors and two reserves) by the end of January.
Brigid Kosgei breaks course record at Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon
