Kenya's Kosgei shatters Radcliffe world record in Chicago Marathon

Chicago: Kenya's Brigid Kosgei shattered Paula Radcliffe's 16-year-old women's marathon world record Sunday, winning the Chicago Marathon in two hours, 14 minutes and four seconds.

Kosgei broke the mark of 2:15:25 set by Radcliffe in the London Marathon on April 13, 2003 as she won in Chicago for the second straight year.

Kosgei, the 25-year-old who won the London Marathon in April and clocked the fastest half-marathon in history this year of 1:04:28 at the Great North Run, quickly separated herself from the women's field as she ran with two male pace-setters.

She crossed the finish line alone, with Ethiopians Ababel Yeshaneh and Gelete Burka a distant second and third in 2:20:51 and 2:20:55.

While the IAAF recognizes the 2:17:01 clocked by Mary Jepkosgei Keitany at the 2017 London Marathon as a "women only" world record posted without male pace-setters, it's Radcliffe's mark -- so long untouchable -- that has been the grail for female marathon runners.

Kosgei's performance continued a remarkable weekend in the punishing event, coming a day after fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge became the first man to break two hours at the distance when he clocked 1hr 59min 40.2sec on a specially prepared course in a Vienna park.

Kosgei signalled her intentions with an astonishing first five kilometers in 15:28 -- so far inside Radcliffe's world record pace that it seemed she might have ruined her chances out of the gate. But she settled into a more sustainable rhythm, and powered relentlessly to the finish line.

Her halfway split of 1:06:59 had Kosgei comfortably inside world record pace, and her lead expanded over the second half as her pursuers felt the effects.

The pace-setters dropped away in the closing kilometers, leaving Kosgei to break the tape alone, her arms raised in celebration.

"I'm happy and I feel good," Kosgei said. "I ran here last year so I knew it was a good course. There was a little bit of wind but it was OK.

"People were cheering all along the course, which gave me more energy."

Kenya's Lawrence Cherono won a men's race that came down to the wire in 2:05:45 — barely edging Ethiopia's Dejene Debela who was second in 2:05:46 with another Ethiopian, Asefa Mengstu, third in 2:05:48.

Last year's winner Mo Farah of Britain was never a factor — finishing a distant eighth in 2:09:58.