Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei crosses the finish line to win the 2019 women’s London Marathon
© AFP Ben STANSALL
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 28 – Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei ran a tactical race to beat defending champion Vivian Cheruiyot to clinch her maiden women’s London Marathon title in a time of 2:18:20.
Kosgei went one better than last year when she finished second last year at London Marathon behind Cheruiyot to accomplish the revenge.
Victory saw the 25-year-old set a new personal best as she added the London title to her win in the Chicago Marathon.
“I always get tempted to go with the leaders, but now I run better in the second half so I held back and that worked for me. I always promise myself in the last mile that I would never run another step. But this is not my retirement,” Kosgei underscored.
Mary Keitany leading the women’s 2019 London Marathon front pack.
Cheruiyot settled second this time in 2:20:14, Ethiopian Roza Dereje came third in 2:20:51, Kenyan Berlin Marathon champion Gladys Cherono was fourth while the hopes of three-time champion Mary Keitany winning a record fourth gong was dashed as she crossed the line fifth.
The win sees Brigid Kosgei pick her second major marathon title after winning the Chicago crown in 2018.
Kosgei left the rest of the elite women’s field behind her with a blistering second half of the race.
I gave it my best today, 2nd in the @LondonMarathon. Congratulations Bridget Kosgei and Eliud Kipchoge 🇰🇪 pic.twitter.com/sm2nd7LbJu
— Vivian Cheruiyot (@VivianCheruiyot) April 28, 2019
Cheruiyot was initially able to stay with her when Kosgei made a break at the 20-mile mark but could not maintain the pace and drifted away some four miles from the finish.
According to statistics compiled by the BBC, Kosgei ran the second half of the race in a time of 66 minutes and 42 seconds — the fastest for the women’s event.
