Radcliffe predicts world marathon record will fall soon

It’s only a matter of time that the women’s world marathon record will be broken again with athletes running under two hours and 14 minutes, former record holder Paula Radcliffe from Great Britain has said.

Radcliffe said that improved shoes technology and general training where technology has been embraced will see mainly Kenyans or Ethiopians improve the world record.

However, it took 16 years before Kenya’s Brigid Kosgey broke Radcliffe’s world marathon record when she won the 2019 Chicago Marathon in 2 hours, 14 minutes and 04 seconds.

Radcliffe set the new record when she won the 2003 London Marathon in 2:15:25.

“It’s quite possible the record going again in the next one year or two when you see how the likes of Brigid and Peres Jepchirchir are running,“ said Radclife, adding that the recent phenomenal performance from the world half marathon record holder Letesenbet Gidey from Ethiopia is enough evidence.

Gidey holds both the half marathon and 10,000m world records of 1:02:52 and 29:01.03 all set this year in Valencia and Hengelo, the Netherlands respectively.

“When you think about the potential Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands has when she decides to move up with the marathon then the record will go but it’s always uncertain until you run one,” said Radcliffe.

Radcliffe, who was speaking during Nation FM’s The Game Plan hosted by Carol Radull, Kieni Githinji and Roy Karuhize.

Also present was Shoe4Africa’s Toby Tanser, who came up with the initiative to set up the only children's hospital.

Radcliffe, who was accompanied by her husband Gary Lough and their children Isla, 14, and Raphael 11, is in the country to oversee the ground breaking of Shoe4Africa Children’s Cancer Hospital in Eldoret.

Also present was Shoe4Africa’s Toby Tanser, who came up with the initiative to set up the only children's hospital.

Radcliffe said the new show technology embraced by several companies has been a game changer, scaling up the potential to run faster.

“The shoes have changed the game a little bit making athletes comfortable and less prone to injuries,” Radcliffe noted. “This is a sign that shoes are good innovations even though there is a debate if they are fair or not.”

Radcliffe said that technology is good since it will give athletes opportunity to keep on improving since their bodies are well protected from the hard surfaces but there is need to be controlled.