KENYA · ATHLETICS
Key Facts
- —What happened Amos Kipruto won the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, 11 October.
- —Winning time 2:01:09, a personal best, according to Capital FM.
- —Runners-up Ethiopians Tadese Bikila (2:02:56) and Milkesa Mengesha (2:03:46).
- —Women’s race Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa won; Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi finished second.
- —Still open Official certified results had not been published at writing.
After finishing third and then second, Amos Kipruto finally won in Chicago, in one of the fastest marathons ever run.
Kenyan runner Amos Kipruto won the men’s race at the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, 11 October, in 2:01:09. The race is one of America’s biggest, and the win adds a major US title to Kenya’s distance-running record.
Nairobi broadcaster Capital FM reported the time as a personal best for Kipruto. The Kenyan news site Tuko called it the second-fastest time ever run on the Chicago course.
How the Kipruto Chicago Marathon Win Unfolded
Kipruto made his decisive move with roughly seven kilometres (about 4.3 miles) left, Tuko reported. He broke clear of the leading group and was not caught again.
Two Ethiopians completed the podium, according to Capital FM. Tadese Bikila was second in 2:02:56, and Milkesa Mengesha was third in 2:03:46.
That put Kipruto 107 seconds clear of the runner-up. In elite marathon racing, where podium places are often split by seconds, a gap of nearly two minutes is large.
The Chicago course record remains 2:00:35. Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum set that mark in 2023, when it was also the men’s world record.
Chicago’s flat, fast course has produced several of the quickest marathons in history. That reputation draws elite fields chasing fast times every autumn.
Who Is Amos Kipruto
Kipruto is a Kenyan road runner who has raced at the front of the world’s biggest marathons for several years. Chicago had eluded him until Sunday.
He finished third in Chicago in 2024 and second in 2025, according to the race organisers. Sunday’s victory was his second World Marathon Majors title, Tuko reported.
The World Marathon Majors is a series of the sport’s most prestigious city races. It includes Boston, New York and Chicago in the United States, plus London, Berlin, Tokyo and Sydney.
The defending champion was Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, who won the 2025 race. The Nairobi newspaper The Star had billed Sunday’s contest as a regional rivalry between Kipruto and Kiplimo.
Kenyan Women Miss Out in Chicago
The women’s race went to Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa in 2:13:33, Capital FM reported. Feysa also won the Chicago women’s race in 2025, according to World Athletics.
Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi was second in 2:14:07, and her compatriot Brigid Kosgei was third in 2:15:55. Kosgei is a former women’s marathon world record holder.
The split result means Kenya and Ethiopia shared the two titles. The two countries have dominated elite marathon podiums for more than two decades.
What It Means for US Readers
The Chicago Marathon is one of the largest road races in the United States. It draws tens of thousands of runners and large crowds to the city every October.
For American running fans, the result confirms that East Africans still set the pace at US races. All six podium places on Sunday went to Kenyan and Ethiopian runners.
The next US major is the New York City Marathon on Sunday, 1 November. Organisers there will face the same question about whether anyone can match East African speed.
For Kenya, athletics is also an economic export. Prize money and appearance fees from US races flow back to training towns in the Rift Valley, such as Iten and Eldoret.
What Is Not Known
The race organisers’ certified results were not available for checking at the time of writing. Tuko described the 2:01:09 as unofficial, while Capital FM reported it as Kipruto’s time.
It is not known where defending champion Jacob Kiplimo finished. The prize money paid to Kipruto has also not been confirmed.
As at every major race, results remain subject to routine anti-doping controls. There is no suggestion of any problem with Sunday’s results.
What Comes Next
Kipruto’s next race has not been announced. Elite runners usually race only two marathons a year, so his next start is unlikely before early 2027.
The win does not change the course record. Kiptum’s 2:00:35 from 2023 remains the benchmark in Chicago.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2026 Chicago Marathon men’s race?
Kenya’s Amos Kipruto won on Sunday, 11 October, in 2:01:09. Ethiopians Tadese Bikila and Milkesa Mengesha finished second and third.
Is 2:01:09 a course record?
No. The Chicago course record is 2:00:35, set by Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum in 2023.
Who won the women’s race?
Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa won in 2:13:33. Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi was second and Brigid Kosgei third.
Had Kipruto raced in Chicago before?
Yes. He finished third in 2024 and second in 2025, according to the race organisers.
When is the next major marathon in the United States?
The New York City Marathon takes place on Sunday, 1 November. It is the last of the year’s World Marathon Majors.
Sources: Capital FM (Nairobi); Tuko; The Star (Nairobi); World Athletics, 2025 Chicago report; Bank of America Chicago Marathon, 2026 professional field (all accessed 11 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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