Kipruto Takes Chicago Marathon With Large Margin
Amos Kipruto won the Chicago Marathon on 11 October in 2:01:09, a personal best and the second-fastest time on the course. He finished 107 seconds ahead of Ethiopia's Tadese Bikila, while Milkesa Mengesha was third. Ethiopia's Hawi Feysa won the women's race, with Kenya's Sharon Lokedi second.
Amos Kipruto’s Chicago victory came after he placed third there in 2024 and second in 2025. His 2:01:09 was a personal best and the course’s second-quickest men’s mark. The Chicago record, 2:00:35, belongs to Kelvin Kiptum from 2023, when it also stood as the world record.
Kipruto pulled away about seven kilometres from the finish. Tadese Bikila took second in 2:02:56, and Milkesa Mengesha was third in 2:03:46. In the women’s race, Hawi Feysa won in 2:13:33, with Sharon Lokedi second and Brigid Kosgei third.
Kipruto’s win may reinforce East Africa’s visibility in global distance running, especially among Kenyan fans and aspiring athletes. Because Chicago is a major US race with tens of thousands of participants and large crowds, his performance could draw more attention to the event and to marathon records. The split Kenyan-Ethiopian results may also shape how audiences view East African dominance in major marathons.