Former world Marathon record holder, Brigid Jepchirchir Kosgei believes it is just a matter of time before Kenyan women reclaim the world marathon record and title.
The 30 year-old who is a five time world marathon major champion, while speaking to us at her training base at the Kapsait Athletics Training Camp (KATC) in Elgeyo Marakwet, said that a time is coming that the country will claim her glory back.
“Kenya has the best marathon runners, I can confidently say that the world record will come to Kenya very soon,” said Kosgei.
Kosgei who is also the Tokyo Olympic marathon silver medallist, is the last Kenyan woman to hold the world record mark of 2:14.04 that she got at the 2019 Chicago Marathon, which places her as the third fastest woman in the world behind Ethiopian Tigst Assefa’s who holds the world record of 2:11.53 from the 2023 Berlin Marathon.
Kosgei who grew up in Sinon, Kapsowar, Elgeyo-Marakwet County and has six siblings including her prolific younger sister, the World U20 Cross Country bronze medallist, Pamela Kosgei, who specializes in the water and barrier race.
Kosgei who began her running, training with her former husband Matthew Kosgei, whom they have parted ways with, when she was 17 years-old, is never bothered when her record was broken, saying; ‘records are there to be broken’.
The mother of twins, who dropped out of school in January 2012 during her final year, lays now behind the double Olympic champion, Sifan Hassan of Netherlands who scored a mark of 2:13.44 last year at the Chicago Marathon.
Kosgei who is training under the tutelage of the double Milan Marathon champion Erick Kimaiyo, is sure of the world title and record will coming back to her mother country.
“I did not prepare for the world record. That shows anything can happen at any moment. Records are there to be broken as long as someone prepares well,” said Kosgei.
Kimaiyo who coaches the double Major Marathon Silver medallist, says that she is one of the most humble and a dedicated athlete who has remained focused on her career.
“She is so disciplined and a dedicated runner who believes in her career. She runs well, she will be in a good position. For my case, I just want her to run her best time possible and with the time, she will get a good position and she has great ambitions,” said Kimaiyo.
The coach said that Kosgei is a grounded athlete despite her fame and earning a lot of money in her running career.
“She is not like other athletes who get some money and change their lifestyle. She has remained the same athlete I met when she was young and innocent. She has maintained her humility and all the virtues associated with successful athletes,” said Kimaiyo.
When Kosgei’s world marathon record was broken last year by Assefa, she says she did not feel bad because records are there to be broken.
“Someone from Kenya will come and lower the record again,” Kosgei concluded.
Author
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John Vaselyne is the founder of Athletics News. Africa’s only Independent Athletics News website. He has covered World U18 and U20 Championships, World Cross Country Championships, Four Continental Tour Gold Series, Wanda Diamond League. He has passion for the Sport and has over seven years experience in this area of sport. He is also the Leading Athletics Pundit in the Country, having been hosted in ALL leading TV stations in Kenya
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