Brigid Kosgei ends 2023 in style after setting new record in Abu Dhabi Marathon
16th December 2023
Kenyan duo of Aurelia Kiptui and Emily Chebet settled for fourth and fifth positions.
- Kosgei reached the tape in a course record time of 2:19.15.
- She smashed the previous course record of 2:20.41 which was held by Kenyan-born Bahraini international Eunice Chumba.
- Eritrea’s Samson Amare, who was making his debut at the event, overcame a strong field to win the men’s title in an impressive time of 2:07:10.
Former world record holder Brigid Kosgei ended her 2023
season in an emphatic fashion by running away with the Abu Dhabi Marathon
title.
The one-time Olympic Games silver medalist was in a class of
her own in the streets of the United Arab Emirates capital, running the
majority of the race alone.
She opened a big gap between her and the rest of the competitors to reach the tape in a course record time of 2:19.15, smashing the previous course record of 2:20.41 which was held by Kenyan-born Bahraini international Eunice Chumba.
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The former Chicago and London marathon winner previously set the world record of 2:14.04 which was recently broken by Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa at the 2019 Chicago edition. Assefa improved the time to 2:11.53 at the 2023 Berlin Marathon.
Kosgei was followed by the Ethiopian road race runners Hawa
Feysa and Ethlemahu Sintayehu who crossed the finishing line in 2:24.03 and
2:25.36 (personal best) respectively.
The Kenyan duo of Aurelia Kiptui and Emily Chebet clocked 2:28.59 and 2:29.52 to settle for fourth and fifth positions.
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Eritrea’s Samson Amare, who was making his debut at the
event, overcame a strong field to win the men’s title in an impressive time of
2:07:10.
Kenya’s Leonard Barsoton came a distant second in 2:09:37
with Tanui Özbilen, who switched his allegiance from the country to Turkey
completing the podium place positions in 2:10:16. Tanui was also making his
debut.
Other Kenyan men who managed to finish in the top 10 positions include Gideon Chepkonga (fourth in 2:11.17), Isaac Kipsang (fifth in 2:11.34) and Micah Chemweno (eighth in 2:12.16).
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Classic
Kosgei will pocket a whopping USD 80,000 (approximately Ksh 12,284,000.00)
for winning the race and breaking the course record. However, the amount is subject
to the taxation procedure.
The winner in the men’s category will only receive USD 50,000 (approximately Ksh 7, 677, 500) since he failed to smash the current course record of 2:04.40 which was set by Kenya’s Reuben Kipyego in 2019.
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