Former World Record Holder Kosgei Bounces Back with Victory at Abu Dhabi Marathon

Former women’s marathon world record holder, Brigid Kosgei, showcased her resilience by winning the Abu Dhabi Marathon in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with an impressive time of 2:19:15 on Saturday.

Ethiopian Hawi Feysa secured the second position with a time of 2:24:03, while her compatriot Ethlemahu Sintayehu claimed the third spot with a time of 2:25:36.

Kosgei’s victory comes at a crucial juncture in her career, following a challenging year where she failed to podium in the road races she participated in. Starting the year with a fourth-place finish at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in the UAE, clocking 1:06:34, she had to withdraw from April’s London Marathon due to injury.

Despite her efforts, she narrowly missed clinching the New York Marathon title, finishing fourth with a time of 2:27:45. The Abu Dhabi triumph marks Kosgei’s first victory in over a year since her notable performance at the Lisbon Marathon in May the previous year, where she clocked 1:06:46.

In the men’s race, Leonard Barsoton, the 2014 African Cross Country champion, secured second place with a time of 2:09:37, trailing behind Eritrea’s Samsom Amare Hailemicael, who won with a time of 2:07:10. Turkey’s Ilham Ozbilen claimed the third position with a time of 2:10:16.

Barsoton’s performance in Abu Dhabi marked a significant improvement, coming after his sixth-place finish at the New Delhi Half Marathon, where he clocked 1:01:36 in his previous race.