PHOTO | ODD ANDERSEN | FILE Florence Kiplagat (C, 1st) of Kenya, Irinia Mikitenko (L, 2nd) of Germany and Britain's Paula Radcliffe (R, 3rd) pose for photographers after the 38th Berlin Marathon on September 25, 2011 in Berlin. AFP
NAIROBI
A group of Kenya's best women distance runners are preparing to take a shot at the marathon world record set by Britain's Paula Radcliffe more than 10 years ago.
Radcliffe's record of 2hr 15min 25sec, set on the streets of London more than 10 years ago, has become one of athletics' toughest marks, with only a handful of women managing to break even 2:20 since then.
But Kenya's top ladies, tired of seeing their record-breaking male counterparts steal the limelight at international races, say the time has come to bring the title home.
"Why can't we do like our men?" said two-time Berlin marathon champion Florence Kiplagat.
"Though I was privileged to win the women's race on both occasions, the men turned out to be the big heroes," she said of the 2011 and 2013 races, when the men's world records were set by Patrick Makau and then Wilson Kipsang.
"I celebrated for Makau and Kipsang, knowing very well that next time it would be my own turn to become a hero if I broke the current women's record," said the 26-year-old, a former world half marathon champion who has a personal best over the marathon of 2:19:44.
"The time has come for us Kenyan women to make the attempt. It is difficult for one person to manage alone but with teamwork we can succeed. Four of us have all managed to run under 2:20, and if we plan well and run as a team, it can be achievable," she told AFP.
In Summary
- Radcliffe's record of 2hr 15min 25sec has become one of athletics' toughest marks
- Radcliffe used a Kenyan male pacesetter for her record-breaking run
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