Chicago
Amos Kipruto won his second Abbott World Marathon Major after he added Chicago to his London win four years ago, humbly disclosing that his sole purpose was to improve on his personal best time set in London this spring.
The Kenyan was utterly dominant, crossing the line in 2:01:09, the fifth fastest time ever run in a Major, lowering his own personal best (2:01:39) by 30 seconds in the process. After finishing third in 2024 and runner-up last year, Kipruto completed the final upward step on the podium.
Kenya's Amos Kipruto cruises to victory in 2:01:09, the fifth fastest time ever run in a Major, also lowering his own personal best by 30 seconds. (Photo / Chicago Marathon)
Most of the talk before the race was whether last year’s winner Jacob Kiplimo could break sub-two and even threaten Sabastian Sawe’s world record. The Ugandan, who ran 2:00:28 in London, was in the lead pack until 21 miles at which point Kipruto took control and never looked back.
Kiplimo would miss out on the podium, eventually being passed by Tadese Takele, winner in Tokyo in 2025 and 2026, and former Berlin winner Milkesa Mengesha.
“I’ve been here three times now, coming in 2024 and finishing position three, in 2025 I was in position two and now, in 2026, it was either win or die for me,” Kipruto said, adding that he had perfect preparation for Sunday’s run.
“The preparation was perfect for me and I improved a lot in training compared to my previous race at the London Marathon – it’s all about the mindset. I knew it was a tough field but I set my mind… It was my plan to beat my personal best which I ran in London last April (2:01:39). That was my target.”
Whether the US record, which was broken last year by Conner Mantz, would be lowered again had been heavily discussed within the media in Chicago.
Amos Kipruto celebrates winning his second World Marathon Majors race in Chicago on Sunday. (Photo / Chicago Marathon)
Vinny Mauri was the people’s champion with his unorthodox training methods – up to 40 miles a day and 70 per cent of his block being done on a treadmill - getting plenty of attention.
And his approach appeared to be paying off as he established a 38 second lead at 30km. But his early exertions came back to haunt him, stopping to stretch which allowed Clayton Young and Charles Hicks to pass him.
Young would win the local battle, crossing in 2:05:23, 40 seconds shy of the US record but 12 seconds ahead of Hicks with Mauri 1:22 further back.
The women’s race was a thrilling affair which saw last year’s winner Hawi Feysa and former world record holder Brigid Kosgei race into a 12 second lead at the 15km mark.
Sharon Lokedi, bidding to be the first women in the Majors era to win all the US races, soon made up the difference and it became a three-athlete race for the next 10km. Lokedi and Feysa then took off, leaving Kosgei isolated in third where she would eventually finish.
Amos Kipruto finally made it to the top podium position in Chicago on Sunday after previous second and third place finishes. Ethiopians Tadese Takele (left) and Milkesa Mengesha took second and third positions. (Photo / Chicago Marathon)
After exchanging positions in an epic tussle, Feysa found another gear in the final mile, crossing in 2:13:33, which is the fourth fastest time in Majors history. Lokedi was 34 seconds behind but her 2:14:07 still knocked more than three minutes off her PB.
In the wheelchair races, Catherine Debrunner obliterated the women’s world record by almost three minutes, finishing in an astonishing 1:33:16.
The Swiss was 48 seconds ahead after 5km and never looked back, extending that lead at each marker to eventually finish 8:45 ahead of local favourite Tatyana McFadden. It was Debrunner’s fourth Major win of the season, following victories in Tokyo, London and Berlin, and confirms her as the Elite Series champion.
Chicago Marathon women's winner Hawi Feysa of Ethiopia (centre), second and third placed Kenyan Sharon Lokedi and Brigid Kosgei after completing Sunday's race. (Photo / Chicago Marathon)
The men’s race was equally one-sided with Marcel Hug winning his seventh Chicago Marathon. Sydney Marathon winner Daniel Romanchuk appeared Hug’s nearest competition but he withdrew early leaving the Swiss to register his fifth Major win of the season.
Netherlands’ Lito Anker pipped David Weir on the line to finish second.
Leading results at Sunday's 2026 Chicago Marathon:
Men's Elite Top 10 Finishers
- Amos Kipruto (Kenya) 2:01:09
- Tadese Takele (Bikila) (Ethiopia) 2:02:56
- Milkesa Mengesha (Ethiopia) 2:03:46
- Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) 2:04:18
- Boki Diriba (Ethiopia) 2:05:01
- Daniel Mateiko (Kenya) 2:05:01
- Clayton Young (United States) 2:05:23
- Charles Hicks (United States) 2:05:35
- Akira Akasaki (Japan) 2:05:47
- Vincent Mauri (United States) 2:06:45
Chicago Marathon women's winner Hawi Feysa of Ethiopia (centre), second and third placed Kenyan Sharon Lokedi (left) and Brigid Kosgei at the presentation ceremony after Sunday's race. (Photo / Chicago Marathon)
Women's Elite Top 10 Finishers
- Hawi Feysa (Ethiopia) 2:13:33
- Sharon Lokedi (Kenya) 2:14:07
- Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) 2:14:55
- Mary Ngugi-Cooper (Kenya) 2:17:23
- Joan Jepkosgei Kilimo (Kenya) 2:18:39
- Isobel Batt-Doyle (Australia) 2:20:38
- Emma Grace Hurley (United States) 2:20:47
- Degitu Azimeraw Asires (Ethiopia) 2:20:59
- Magdalyne Masai (Kenya) 2:21:11
- Loice Chemnung (Kenya) 2:21:18
(World Marathon Majors)
