Brigid Kosgei Cashes In Big After Shattering Record at Shanghai Marathon

Former world record-holder Brigid Kosgei delivered a commanding performance at the Shanghai Marathon on Sunday, setting the fastest women's marathon time ever recorded in China with a stunning 2:16:36 finish.

The 31-year-old Kenyan star dominated the World Athletics Platinum Label road race, securing her third-fastest career time and finishing more than two minutes ahead of her compatriot, Irine Cheptai, who crossed the line in 2:18:51.

In a much tighter men's contest, Milkesa Mengesha led an Ethiopian sweep of the podium, winning in 2:06:25. He narrowly edged out Dawit Wolde (2:06:27) by just two seconds, with Deresa Geleta completing the trio in 2:06:36.

PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Google News, Stay informed with Latest Sport News

Brigid Kosgei, who had already posted sub-2:19 times in Hamburg and Sydney this year, asserted her dominance from the start.

She led an early pack that included Irine Cheptai and Ethiopian runners Tiruye Mesfin and Bekelech Gudeta, passing the 10km mark in 32:25.

By the halfway point, which the leaders reached in under 69 minutes, the race had become a two-woman duel between Kosgei and Cheptai. However, Kosgei began to pull away after the 30km mark (1:37:08), steadily increasing her lead over the final kilometres.

She ultimately crossed the finish line with a massive two-minute-plus advantage, clocking her fastest time in three years. Cheptai secured second place with a season's best of 2:18:51, while Mesfin finished third in 2:20:38.

The men's race unfolded as a strategic group effort. A pack of ten athletes, including eventual winner Mengesha, Wolde, Geleta, and course record-holder Philimon Kiptoo Kipchumba, ran together through the halfway point.

The lead group remained largely intact until after the 30km mark, when Deresa Geleta began to push the pace. By 35km, the pack had thinned to seven, and with just five kilometres remaining, Geleta, Wolde, and Mengesha broke away from the field.

As the finish line approached, Geleta started to fall back, leaving Mengesha and Wolde to fight for the title. In the final straight, Mengesha unleashed a decisive kick to claim victory in 2:06:25, just two seconds ahead of Wolde, with Geleta holding on for third.

At the pinnacle of the awards, the champions of both the men's and women's (Brigid Kosgei) full marathon categories are set to receive a substantial $55,000.

For those with their sights set on etching their name in the event's history books, an additional $20,000 bonus awaits any winner who manages to break the existing course record, pushing the potential first-place earnings to a staggering $75,000.

The financial rewards extend well beyond the top spot, encouraging competitive depth throughout the elite field.

The athlete who secures the second position earns $23,000, followed by the third-place runner taking home $15,000. Moving down the ranking, the fourth-place finisher receives $7,000, with fifth place earning $6,000.

Rounding out the top positions, the sixth-place athlete is awarded $5,000, the seventh-place finisher earns $4,000, and the eighth-place finisher is granted $3,000.