Kenya's Kosgei Smashes Tokyo Marathon Record
Brigid Kosgei set a new Tokyo Marathon course record with a time of 2:14:29, finishing more than two minutes ahead of her rivals. The 32-year-old Kenyan's performance reaffirms her status as one of the world's premier long-distance runners and continues Kenya's dominance in international marathon competition.
This victory marks a significant return to form for Kosgei, who has battled injuries in recent years. Her time of 2:14:29 is the second-fastest of her career, only trailing her own former world record of 2:14:04 set at the 2019 Chicago Marathon. Kosgei shattered the previous Tokyo course record of 2:15:55, which was set in 2024 by Ethiopia's Sutume Asefa Kebede. In winning, Kosgei also prevented Kebede from securing a third consecutive victory in the event. This is not Kosgei's first triumph in Tokyo; she also won the 2021 Tokyo Marathon (held in March 2022) with a time of 2:16:20. Her latest performance is now the seventh-fastest women's marathon time in history. The win adds to an already impressive resume for the Kenyan runner. Kosgei has previously won the Chicago Marathon (2018, 2019) and the London Marathon (2019, 2020), and also secured a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Born in Elgeyo-Marakwet County, a region famous for producing elite runners, Kosgei's success continues a long tradition of Kenyan dominance in distance running. This dominance is often attributed to factors including high-altitude training in the Rift Valley and unique biomechanical efficiencies.
