Brigid Kosgei’s marathon world record finally ratified by World Athletics

It took a while, but Brigid Kosgei‘s marathon world record has finally been ratified by World Athletics. Kosgei ran a 2:14:04 at the Chicago Marathon in October 2019, taking over a minute off Paula Radcliffe‘s record of 2:15:25 from 2003.

World records ratified✅

@Brigidkosgei_'s 2:14:04 world marathon record and men’s 4x400m relay world indoor record.

?:https://t.co/VkJeQ43Um3 pic.twitter.com/tt5stLOoYP

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) February 26, 2020

Kosgei ran in Chicago on October 13, and she had to wait over four months for her PB to become the official world record time. This may seem odd, considering the other records that fell around the same time (or after) Kosgei ran hers.

RELATED: Brigid Kosgei runs women’s marathon world record of 2:14:04 (unofficial)

Nine days before the Chicago Marathon, Dalilah Muhammad of the U.S. ran a 400mH record of 52.16 at the World Championships. Muhammad’s record was ratified just under four months later–still a long wait, but less than Kosgei’s.

A month before Kosgei ran, Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya set a half-marathon world record of 58:01 on September 15 in Copenhagen. He waited only two months before his was ratified on November 19.

RELATED: Why Kosgei deserves the same kudos as Kipchoge (or more)

Similarly, Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda waited only two months for his 26:38 10K record from December 1 to be ratified, which was made official on January 30 (Cheptegei technically owns this record, but Rhonex Kipruto‘s 26:24 10K from Valencia on January 12 is still pending ratification).

Whatever the reason was for the long wait, it no longer matters. Kosgei is officially the world record-holder in the marathon.

RELATED: Geoffrey Kamworor breaks world record at Copenhagen Half-Marathon

It turns out that Kosgei’s four-month ratification process could have been much worse. When World Athletics announced that her record was official, the indoor 4x400m record was also ratified.

This record now belongs to Amere Lattin, Obie Igbokwe, Jermaine Holt and Kahmari Montgomery, four University of Houston runners. They ran 3:01.51 in Clemson, S.C., over a year ago on February 9, 2019 and it was only just declared official yesterday.