Women's marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei believes female runners can break the two hours and ten minutes barrier.

Kosgei's comments come after compatriot and Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge became the first man in history to run the 42km marathon in under two hours, clocking 1:59:40 in Vienna last weekend.

A day later, Kosgei broke the women's marathon record that had stood for 17 years, setting a new mark of 2:14:04 to win the 2019 Chicago Marathon.

"I think 2:10 is possible for a lady," she said. "I am focused on reducing my time again."

Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain set the world record of 2:15:25 back in 2013, and the only time a concerted effort was made to break it was in 2017, when Kenya's Mary Keitany set a time of 2:17:01.

Kosgei showed glimpses of her fitness and form when she ran in Newcastle's Great North Run, clocking a time of 64:28.

But with her run in Chicago, her focus will now shift to how fast a woman can run, and with suitable funding and planning, she may go for the challenge as early as 2020.

"I was not expecting this," Kosgei said after winning in Chicago on Sunday. "I felt my body was moving, moving, moving so I went for it. This is amazing for me."