2023 Chicago Marathon facts for kids

The 2023 Chicago Marathon is the 45th edition of the annual marathon race in Chicago, scheduled to be held on Sunday, October 8, 2023. A Platinum Label marathon, it is the fifth of six World Marathon Majors events scheduled for 2023. The race is also scheduled to host the age group world championships for the year. Around 45,000 runners are expected to take part in the event, including a runner expected to become the millionth finisher of the Chicago Marathon.

Kenyan runner Kelvin Kiptum set a new marathon world record, winning the race with a time of 2:00:35, and beating the previous world record of 2:01:09, set by his compatriot Eliud Kipchoge at the 2022 Berlin Marathon, by 34 seconds. Kiptum broke free from all the other runners by the 35 km (22 mi) mark, and finished the race with a significant negative split. This was Kiptum's third marathon ever, after he set the course record at the 2022 Valencia Marathon with a time of 2:01:53 in what was the fastest marathon debut ever, and then set another course record at the 2023 London Marathon with a time of 2:01:25.

Dutch runner Sifan Hassan set a new course record by finishing the race with a time of 2:13:44, running the second-fastest marathon ever by a woman, in what was her second marathon ever. Hassan had debuted at the marathon distance with the 2023 London Marathon, which she won with a time of 2:18:33.

Swiss wheelchair athletes Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner both set course records with their victories, finishing with times of 1:22:37 and 1:38:44, respectively. The marathon was Debrunner's debut race in the United States; Hug broke his own course record.

Background

The first running of the modern incarnation of the Chicago Marathon was held on September 25, 1977. Since then, the Chicago Marathon has gained a reputation of having a flat course that is capable of producing fast performances. Five marathon world records have been set at the Chicago Marathon, including, most recently, a marathon world record for women, 2:14:04, set at the 2019 race by Kenyan runner Brigid Kosgei.

Competitors

Defending champion Ruth Chepng'etich during the 2021 race, which she also won

Benson Kipruto of Kenya, who won the previous year's race with a time of 2:04:24, is expected to return to defend his title. His compatriot (and second-fastest male marathoner ever) Kelvin Kiptum, who won the 2023 London Marathon months earlier with a time of 2:01:25, is expected to join him. Belgian runner Bashir Abdi, who won the bronze medal at the men's marathon event of the 2020 Olympics, is also expected to make an appearance.

Kenyan runner Ruth Chepng'etich is the defending champion (and third-fastest female marathoner ever), who won the race in 2022 with a time of 2:14:18. U.S. runner Emily Sisson, the runner-up in 2022 who also set the U.S. marathon record of 2:18:29 during that race, is also scheduled to return. Dutch runner Sifan Hassan, who debuted at the marathon distance by winning the London Marathon earlier that year, was also announced as part of the elite field for the race.

Swiss wheelchair athlete Marcel Hug, the previous year's champion, is planning to return to defend his title. Also expected to return are Daniel Romanchuk and Aaron Pike of the United States, and Sho Watanabe of Japan, who placed second, third, and fourth in 2022, respectively. Susannah Scaroni of the United States is also scheduled to defend her title, with her compatriot Tatyana McFadden looking to secure her tenth Chicago Marathon victory, and Manuela Schär of Switzerland aiming to earn her third.

Results

Men

Elite men's top 10 finishers

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Time
1	Kiptum, KelvinKelvin Kiptum	Kenya	02:00:35 WR
2	Kipruto, BensonBenson Kipruto	Kenya	02:04:02
3	Abdi, BashirBashir Abdi	Belgium	02:04:32
4	Korir, JohnJohn Korir	Kenya	02:05:29
5	Tura Abdiwak, SeifuSeifu Tura Abdiwak	Ethiopia	02:05:09
6	Mantz, ConnerConner Mantz	United States	02:07:47
7	Young, ClaytonClayton Young	United States	02:08:00
8	Rupp, GalenGalen Rupp	United States	02:08:48
9	Chelanga, SamSam Chelanga	United States	02:08:50
10	Ichida, TakashiTakashi Ichida	Japan	02:08:57

Women

Elite women's top 10 finishers

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Time
1	Hassan, SifanSifan Hassan	Netherlands	02:13:44 CR
2	Chepngetich, RuthRuth Chepngetich	Kenya	02:15:37
3	Alemu, MegertuMegertu Alemu	Ethiopia	02:17:09
4	Jepkosgei, JoycilineJoyciline Jepkosgei	Kenya	02:17:23
5	Teshome Nare, TaduTadu Teshome Nare	Ethiopia	02:20:04
6	Dibaba Keneni, GenzebeGenzebe Dibaba Keneni	Ethiopia	02:21:47
7	Sisson, EmilyEmily Sisson	United States	02:22:09
8	Seidel, MollyMolly Seidel	United States	02:23:07
9	Harvey, RoseRose Harvey	United Kingdom	02:23:21
10	Vaughn, SaraSara Vaughn	United States	02:23:24

See also

In Spanish: Maratón de Chicago de 2023 para niños