Jacob Kiplimo won the Chicago Marathon in 2:02:23 hours, missing the world’s best time of the year by just seven seconds. The Kenyan Sabastian Sawe ran 2:02:16 at the Berlin Marathon three weeks ago. For a long time, Kiplimo, who was only 24 years old, even ran under two hours for the first time and was still on course for a world record at kilometer 35. But in the last seven kilometers, the half marathon world record holder (56:42 minutes) from Uganda was no longer able to maintain his enormous pace. Kiplimo collapsed and in the end clearly missed the best time set by the late Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) two years ago in Chicago with 2:00:35. In his second race over the 42.195 km distance in Chicago, Jacob Kiplimo became the seventh fastest marathon runner of all time.
The Kenyans Amos Kipruto and Alex Masai took second and third place by a long way in 2:03:54 and 2:04:37 respectively. In fourth place, Conner Mantz (USA) broke the North American continental record with 2:04:43. The continental best time was previously held by Canadian Cameron Levins, who ran 2:05:36 in Tokyo two years ago. The US record was held by former world record holder Khalid Khannouchi with 2:05:38.
In very good weather conditions, Hawi Feysa triumphed with a world best time of 2:14:56 hours. The Ethiopian, who won the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon a year ago, became the fifth fastest runner of all time in Chicago. Her compatriot Megertu Alemu came second in 2:17:18. Third-placed Magdalena Shauri (Tanzania) improved her own national record to 2:18:03. The Kenyans Voice Chemnung and Mary Ngugi-Cooper also remained in fourth and fifth place with 2:18:23 and 2:19:25 respectively, still well under 2:20:00.
Top German runners did not start at the Chicago Marathon.
The men’s race
Table of Contents
As announced, the pacemakers of the first group set a world record pace. It wasn’t just about a time below the existing mark of 2:00:35, but also about an attack on the two-hour barrier. Kenya’s superstar Eliud Kipchoge had already beaten this marathon barrier in Vienna in 2019 with 1:59:40.2, but this race was not in line with the record.
The leading group passed the 10 km point in 28:25 minutes and was therefore on course for a finish time of exactly 1:59:57 hours. Running behind the pacemakers were Jacob Kiplimo and last year’s winner John Korir as well as Timothy Kiplagat, Amos Kipruto and Philemon Kiplimo (all Kenya). Shortly before the half marathon mark, which was reached after 60:16 minutes, Timothy Kiplagat lost contact with the group. In addition, the last pacesetter was now out of the race. It was then John Koriri who took the lead by increasing the pace and tearing the group apart. Only Jacob Kiplimo managed to slowly catch up with the defending champions again. Both together then passed the 25 km mark after 1:11:12 hours. With a predicted finish time of 2:00:10, they were again relatively close to the two-hour mark. But Korir soon fell behind and gave up the race around ten kilometers from the finish. The two-time cross-country world champion Kiplimo quickly had a decisive lead and was no longer on the two-hour course at 30 km (1:25:31) and 35 km (1:39:53), but still within the range of the world record. But in the last seven kilometers he slowed down significantly.
“It’s hard to win such a high-class race, so I’m very happy. My goal was to run a personal best, and I achieved that,” said Jacob Kiplimo, who came second in his marathon debut in London in April, running 2:03:37. “I’ll stick with the marathon.”
Conner Mantz ran a very consistent pace with race halves of 62:19 and 62:24. “It’s a great feeling to have broken the record. For the last 10 km I worked together with Alex Masai, who later came third, and that helped a lot,” said the new US record holder (2:04:43).
The women’s race
Hawi Feysa and Magdalena Shauri broke away early in the women’s race. Shortly after the 5 km mark, a gap opened up between her competitors. The two then reached the 10km mark, led by a pacer, in 32:08 minutes, running a pace that came out to 2:15:30 hours. With a half marathon finish time of 67:30, they were even on track for 2:15:00. At kilometer 25 (1:19:59) the two were still running together, but behind them Megertu Alemu had come within five seconds. She topped the start list with a best time of 2:16:34. But the Ethiopian didn’t make it to the top. While Magdalena Shauri fell behind around kilometer 27 and was soon overtaken by Megertu Alemu, Hawi Feysa continued to run at a constant pace and significantly increased the lead in the final phase.
The 26-year-old Hawi Feysa, who set the Frankfurt course record to 2:17:25 a year ago and then improved to 2:17:00 by finishing second in Tokyo this year, rose to the top of the world in Chicago. She is another athlete from Gemedu Dedefo’s training group who achieved this. Her training partners in Addis Ababa include Olympic silver medalist Tigst Assefa, from whom she set the world’s best time of the year in Chicago. “It’s a great feeling to win here. I trained hard for it. My coach prepared me very well and I thank him for that. He also gave me a lot of self-confidence,” said Hawi Feysa.
Men’s results
- Jacob Kiplimo uga 2:02:23
- Amos Kipruto KEN 2:03:54
- Alex Masai KEN 2:04:37
- Conner mantz USA 2:04:43
- Mohamed Esa ETH 2:04:50
- Seifu Tura ETH 2:05:17
- Geoffrey Kamworor KEN 2:05:31
- Philemon Kiplimo KEN 2:06:14
- Rory Linkletter CAN 2.06:49
- Bashir ABDI BEL 2:07:08
Women’s results
- 2:14eysa Eth 2:14:56
- Meggs We’re Along Eth 2:17:18
- Magdalena Counsel Tan 2:18:03
- Voice Chemnung KEN 2:18:23
- Mary Ngugi-Cooper KEN 2:19:25
- Natosha Rogers USA 2:23:28
- Dakotah Popehn USA 2:24:21
- Florence Borelli ARG 2:24:23
- Gabriella Rooker USA 2:26:32
- Melody Julien from 2.27: 09
