Kipruto and Feysa Win Chicago Marathon

Amos Kipruto of Kenya won the men's Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2:01:09 and Hawi Feysa of Ethiopia retained the women's title in 2:13:33 on Sunday, 11 October (World Athletics; official race results). The race holds World Athletics' Platinum Label, the top grade for road races (World Athletics).

Kipruto's time is a personal best, his fastest ever, by 30 seconds. It puts him equal fifth on the men's world all-time list alongside Eliud Kipchoge, whose 2:01:09 in Berlin four years ago was then the world record (World Athletics).

Six men ran together through halfway in 1:00:21, eight seconds quicker than Sabastian Sawe's halfway split in his 1:59:30 world record in London earlier this year (World Athletics). Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda, the pre-race favourite, pushed the pace after 25 kilometres, and only Kipruto could go with him (World Athletics).

Kipruto moved a second ahead by mile 21 and was 12 seconds clear at 35 kilometres. Kiplimo then faded quickly; by mile 24 he was 1:32 behind (World Athletics).

Tadese Bikila of Ethiopia finished strongly for second in a personal best of 2:02:56, and Milkesa Mengesha of Ethiopia was third in 2:03:46. Both passed Kiplimo, who was fourth in 2:04:18 (World Athletics).

Kipruto was third in Chicago in 2024 and second last year. The 2019 world bronze medallist also won the London Marathon in 2022 (World Athletics).

The women's race was a duel. Feysa and Brigid Kosgei of Kenya, a former world record-holder, broke away early, but Sharon Lokedi of Kenya, a two-time Boston Marathon champion, and Loice Chemnung of Kenya caught them, and four women passed halfway together in 1:06:06 (World Athletics).

From about 30 kilometres Feysa and Lokedi ran side by side for miles, with Kosgei 35 to 39 seconds behind (World Athletics). With little more than a kilometre to go there was still nothing between them. Then, with about 2:10 on the clock, Feysa pulled away and gained 34 seconds over the final mile (World Athletics).

Her time took 84 seconds off the personal best she set winning Chicago last year and moves her to fourth on the women's world all-time list (World Athletics). It was the third major marathon win of her career, after Frankfurt in 2024 and Chicago in 2025 (World Athletics). Her full official name is Hawi Feysa Gejia (official race results).

Lokedi was second in 2:14:07, a personal best that moves her to eighth on the all-time list, and Kosgei third in 2:14:55 (World Athletics). It was the first marathon in which three women finished inside 2:15 (World Athletics).

Clayton Young was the leading American man, seventh in a personal best of 2:05:23. NBC Sports said it was the second-fastest time in American history on a record-eligible course, one where times can count as records (NBC Sports). Charles Hicks of the United States was eighth in 2:05:35 (World Athletics).

Vincent Mauri of the United States, who does much of his training on a treadmill, broke clear of the chasing group early and passed halfway in 1:02:15, but stopped briefly with what appeared to be cramp after 21 miles and finished 10th in 2:06:45 (World Athletics).

Emma Grace Hurley was the leading American woman, seventh in 2:20:47, the fastest marathon debut by a U.S. woman, according to NBC Sports (World Athletics; NBC Sports).