The millions Brigid Kosgei will receive if she breaks World record in Portugal
17th March 2024
Kenya’s Abraham Kiptum, who is returning from a four-year doping ban, is the favorite in the men’s category.
- Kosgei heads to Lisbon with a personal best of 1:04.28 which she set five years ago.
- The organizers have set a set a bonus of €150,000 for anyone who sets a new world record.
- Kosgei will use the event to prepare for the upcoming 2024 London Marathon.
Former marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei is
set to light up the 2024 Lisbon Half Marathon in Portugal on Sunday, March 17.
Kosgei will be seeking to smash the current half marathon
world record of 1:02.52 set by Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey in 2021.
Should the athlete, who hails from Elgeyo Marakwet lower
Gidey’s mark, she is expected to receive an appetizing €150,000 (approximately
Ksh22,000,000) world record bonus that has been set aside by the event
organizers.
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Speaking during the pre-race interview, Kosgei stated that
she wants to improve her lifetime best.
"I'm really happy to be here again. I wanted to run
this race because I want to test my speed for London Marathon in April.
“I come here to see how my body responds. I'm feeling good,
I'm happy and had some good preparation. The course is very fast and I hope to have a
good race on Sunday. If the weather is good, I will try to break my personal
best in half marathon,” she commented.
The 30-year-old goes into the road race with a half marathon
personal best of 1:04.28 which she set in Great Britain in 2019.
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In Lisbon, Kosgei will face a stiff competition from her
compatriots including the likes of one-time Olympic champion Vivian Cheruiyot.
Cheruiyot, who will be making her comeback after being on
the sidelines for several months, has a personal best of 1:06.34 which she
achieved at the same race in 2019.
The other Kenyan runners expected to feature in Lisbon are
Vivian Melly, Pauline Esikon, Edith Jepchumba, Faith Chepchirchir and Betty
Chepkemoi.
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Stars no show
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Abraham Kiptum, who is returning from a
four-year doping ban, is the favorite in the men’s category.
Kiptum enters the race with a personal best of 59:09 which
is more than one minute slower than the world record of 57: 31 set by Uganda’s
Jacob Kiplimo three years ago.
Geoffrey Kipsang, Dominic Kiptarus, Bravin Kiptoo and Brian Kwemoi are the other Kenyan runners who go head-to-head with Kiptum on Sunday.