Millions Brigid Kosgei will pocket following Abu Dhabi Marathon victory

2019 Chicago Marathon champion Brigid Kosgei will be ending her year on a high after an impressive performance in the fifth ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon held on Saturday 16 December.

The Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Kosgei crossed the line in two hours, 19 minutes, and 15 seconds to better the mark set by Bahraini Eunice Chumba - 2:20:41 in the elite women’s race last year.

Kosgei finished ahead of the Ethiopian pair of Hawi Feysa Gejia and Sintayehu Dessi who finished the course in respective times of 2:24:03 and 2:25:36. She aims to represent Kenya in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

According to the race organizers, the winners of the race, in both the men’s and women’s races, will pocket Ksh 7,677,500.

The athletes to cross the finish line first and clock sub 2:20:41 will be awarded a bonus of Ksh 4,606,500.

This means Kosgei will pocket Ksh 12,284,000 in total, yes! you read that right.

For the men’s race, a bonus of Ksh 4,606,500 will be awarded to athletes who win and clock sub 2:04:40.

The athletes who finish second, third, and fourth in the race will walk away with Ksh 3,071,000, Ksh 1,535,500, and Ksh 921,300 respectively. Those who finish fifth, sixth, and seventh will pocket Ksh 460,650, Ksh 383,875, and Ksh 307,100.

The race organizers have also set aside Ksh 230,325, Ksh 153,550, and Ksh 76,775 for the athletes who finished eighth, ninth, and 10th respectively.

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At the same time, athletes who finish second and clock sub 2:05:40 (men) and 2:21:41 (women) will be awarded a bonus of Ksh 767,750.

Those who finish third and clock sub 2:06:40 (men) and 2:22:41 (women) will also walk away with a bonus of Ksh 767,750.

Sharing the honors on the day in the debutants-dominated men's category was Samson Amare. The Eritrean clocked two hours, seven minutes, and 10 seconds to come home clear of Kenya's Leonard Barsoton (2:09:37) and Turkey’s Ilham Ozbilan (2:10:16).

Kosgei has won five major marathons - the 2018 and 2019 Chicago Marathons, the 2019 and 2020 London Marathons and the 2021 Tokyo Marathon.

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She held the marathon world record for women (2:14:04), which was achieved in October 2019 at the Chicago Marathon before it was bettered by Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa (2:11:53) at the Berlin Marathon in September.

More than 23,000 runners took part in the Abu Dhabi Marathon across various distances, including the 10k, 5k, 2.5k, and wheelchair race.