Chepngetich chase history at Chicago Marathon

Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich reacts after winning the Chicago Marathon women's title in 2021. [AFP]

Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich is on the brink of making history as she chases a third consecutive victory at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday.

The 2019 world marathon champion is the favorite in a star-studded women's field that also features her compatriot Joyciline Jepkosgei and Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede.

The three athletes are all part of the elite sub-2:17 marathon club, setting the stage for a thrilling race in Chicago’s World Athletics Platinum Label road event.

Chepngetich, who won the Chicago Marathon in 2021 and 2022, is aiming to reclaim the title after finishing second last year behind Sifan Hassan.

Despite her runner-up finish in 2023, Chepngetich set an impressive time of 2:14:18, matching her personal best set in Chicago in 2022. That performance established her as the fourth-fastest woman in marathon history.

Having most recently finished ninth in the London Marathon in April with a time of 2:24:36, Chepngetich rebounded by winning the Buenos Aires Half Marathon in August, clocking an impressive 1:05:58. Now, she is ready to defend her title on the familiar streets of Chicago.

“The course in Chicago is fast, and I’m looking forward to giving it my all,” said Chepngetich, who has her eyes set on etching her name into the marathon’s history books with a third win.

She will face tough competition from Jepkosgei and Kebede, who are both in strong form. Jepkosgei, the 2021 London Marathon and 2019 New York City Marathon champion, finished fourth in Chicago last year with a time of 2:17:23 but improved her personal best to 2:16:24 in London this April, where she finished third.

Kebede, meanwhile, is fresh off a stunning victory at the Tokyo Marathon in March, where she set a personal best of 2:15:55, placing her eighth on the all-time women’s marathon list. She will be looking to build on that success in Chicago.

“After seeing what my teammate Kelvin Kiptum did last year, I’m motivated to come to Chicago and achieve something special,” Kebede said. Tragically, Kiptum, who set a world marathon record of 2:00:35 in Chicago last year, passed away in a road accident in February. A moment of silence will be observed at the start of the race in his honor.

The women’s field also boasts other strong contenders, including Ethiopia’s Degitu Azimeraw, Ashete Bekere, and Hiwot Gebrekidan, all with sub-2:18 personal bests. Kenya’s Irine Cheptai, who ran 2:18:22 in Hamburg in April, adds even more depth to the lineup. Additionally, top US marathoners Keira D’Amato and Betsy Saina, both of whom have run under 2:20, will also compete, alongside compatriots Sara Hall and Emma Bates.

On the men’s side, Ethiopia’s Birhanu Legese leads the charge with a personal best of 2:02:48 set in Berlin in 2019, making him the fastest in the field and sixth on the all-time men’s marathon list. However, Legese has not won a marathon since his Tokyo Marathon triumphs in 2019 and 2020, and he will be keen to return to winning ways in Chicago after a third-place finish in Rotterdam earlier this year.

Legese faces stiff competition from a group of six men who have run under 2:06, including Kenya’s Amos Kipruto, Vincent Ngetich, and John Korir. Kipruto, who won the 2022 London Marathon, is among the top challengers, while Ngetich and Korir, both in fine form, will look to leave their mark on the World Marathon Majors stage.

As the elite athletes gather in Chicago, the event promises intense competition, with Chepngetich on the verge of history and Legese hoping to reignite his winning streak. The fast course and strong field set the stage for a marathon that could deliver remarkable performances. [Additional reporting by World Athletics]