Ruth Chepngetich is set to compete for her third consecutive victory at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 13. The 2019 world champion clinched victories in Chicago in 2021 and 2022 and secured a second-place finish last year behind Sifan Hassan.
Chepngetich will face a strong field this year, including her fellow Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei and Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede. Jepkosgei, the 2021 London Marathon and 2019 New York City Marathon champion, finished fourth in Chicago last year and has a personal best of 2:16:24, set in London.
Kebede leads the women’s marathon times this year with a personal best of 2:15:55, achieved at the Tokyo Marathon in March. This performance ranks her eighth on the all-time women’s marathon list, with Chepngetich holding the fourth spot due to her 2:14:18 victory in Chicago in 2022.
The elite women’s field also includes Ethiopia’s Degitu Azimeraw, Ashete Bekere, and Hiwot Gebrekidan, all of whom have run marathons under 2:18, as well as Americans Keira D’Amato and Betsy Saina, the second and third fastest U.S. women’s marathoners, respectively.
“I am very excited to return to Chicago and compete on such a fast course,” said Kebede, who finished 15th in last year’s race. “Inspired by my teammate Kelvin Kiptum’s performance last year, I want to achieve something great in Chicago.”
Kiptum, who set a world marathon record of 2:00:35 in Chicago last year, tragically passed away in a road accident in February. Kenyan runner Amos Kipruto, a 2019 world bronze medallist and the 2022 London Marathon winner, plans to honor Kiptum by aiming for a personal best in Chicago. Kipruto trains with Benson Kipruto, the 2022 Chicago Marathon champion.
“My goal is to achieve a personal best,” said Amos Kipruto. “I want to demonstrate that I can still win a major marathon like Chicago.”
Kipruto will compete against Vincent Ngetich, who shares a personal best of 2:03:13 and is seeking his first major marathon victory. Ngetich finished second at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, ahead of Kipruto, and placed third at this year’s Tokyo Marathon.
Another highlight is the marathon debut of Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo, the world 10,000m and half marathon silver medallist. Other notable participants include Ethiopia’s Dawit Wolde and Amedework Walelegn, both with personal bests under 2:05, and Kenya’s John Korir, who set his personal best of 2:05:01 in Chicago in 2022. U.S. athletes CJ Albertson and Zach Panning will also compete on home turf.
