Jacob Kiplimo and Hawi Feysa will be back in action to defend their titles at the Chicago Marathon as the packed fall marathon season is grows closer as organizers announced the elite field for the race on October 11.
Kiplimo clocked a 2:02:23 to take last year’s title, the second-fastest performance in race history, as he flirted with a possible world record but faded slightly and locked in to take the win. In his quest to return to the podium, he faces a loaded men’s field that includes Amos Kipruto, Milkesa Mengesha, Tadese Takele Bikila and Daniel Mateiko.
“Winning Chicago was a special moment, but defending the title means even more,” said Kiplimo, the 2020 Olympic bronze medalist in the 10,000 meters. “My preparation has given me a lot of confidence, and having raced this course before is a real advantage. Right now, I believe I’m capable of competing with anyone in the world, and I’m coming to Chicago with the ambition to prove it once again.”
Knowing when to strike will be crucial for Kiplimo after his 2025 performance where he pulled away from the men’s lead group just after the 25km mark and opened a comfortable gap on Kipruto, John Korir, Timothy Kiplagat and Philemon Kiplimo Kimaiyo. But Kiplimo rides into the fall major with a solid year of running under his belt, with his third straight cross country coming in January in Tallahassee and a stunning 57:20 half marathon world record in Lisbon in March.
The women’s race will also be one to watch as Feysa heads back into Chicago knowing that she will line up with a strong stable that features Brigid Kosgei, Sutume Kebede, Megertu Alemu, Brillian Kipkoech, Sharon Lokedi and Degitu Azimeraw in what should be a battle down to the closing moments.
Feysa won her title in 2:14:56 and needs a similar performance to last year’s win if she hopes to not let the race come down to a late charge in the closing stages. She also knows her opponents well, as Kosgei and Kokedi both have the experience and speed to draw Feysa into a kick before it’s time to make a decisive move to put the race away.
“I believe it will be even more difficult this year to repeat, but I am preparing very well and am confident I will arrive at the start line in good form,” said Feysa, who also won the 2024 Frankfurt Marathon. “Chicago is known for being fast and fiercely competitive, so I hope to run a personal best. But the most important thing is to fight for a place on the podium.”
In the men’s wheelchair race, Marcel Hug’s reputation precedes him and his dominant wins in the last four Chicago Marathons — and six overall — make him the f avorite even as Aaron Pike, JohnBoy Smith and Daniel Romanchuk have their sights on breaking his streak in October. Romanchuk won in Chicago in 2021 and along with Hug, they are the only athletes to win the men’s wheelchair division in the last ten years.
“I’m really excited to be back in Chicago – it’s a course I love, fast and flat, and the crowd support here is always incredible,” Hug said. “I’m looking forward to racing alongside other great athletes again and seeing what’s possible this year.”
Even with out defending women’s wheelchair champion Susannah Scaroni in the mix, the field could still see a tough battle in the closing moments as nine-time Chicago winner Tatyana McFadden zeros in on another top podium finish with Manuela Schär and Catherine Debrunner, who have both won the race twice, ensuring that the group out on the course will be competitive.
“I’m really looking forward to racing the 2026 Chicago Marathon,” Mcfadden said. “Chicago will always be special to me because it was where I ran my first marathon, and the energy of the city and the fans is unforgettable. Hopefully, I can compete for another major marathon win, but more than anything, it’s the strength of the field and the challenge of racing the best that keeps bringing me back.”
Men’s Elite Entries
Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) – 2:00:28
Amos Kipruto (Kenya) – 2:01:39
Milkesa Mengesha (Ethiopia) – 2:03:17
Tadese Takele Bikila (Ethiopia) – 2:03:23
Daniel Mateiko (Kenya) – 2:03:44
Asrar Hiyrden (Ethiopia) – 2:03:59
Charles Hicks (USA) – 2:04:35
Alex Masai (Kenya) – 2:04:37
Suguru Osako (Japan) – 2:04:55
Mohamed Reda El Aaraby (Morocco) – 2:05:18
Clayton Young (USA) – 2:05:41
Vincent Mauri (USA) – 2:05:54
Yemane Haileselassie (Eritrea) – 2:06:06
Galen Rupp (USA) – 2:06:07
Akira Akasaki (Japan) – 2:06:15
Boki Diriba (Ethiopia) – 2:06:26
Hendrik Pfeiffer (Germany) – 2:06:34
Abbabiya Simbassa (USA) – 2:06:53
Tsegay Weldibanos (Eritrea) – 2:07:35
Haftu Knight (USA) – 2:07:38
Patrick Tiernan (Australia) – 2:07:45
Kiyoshi Koga (Japan) – 2:07:46
CJ Albertson (USA) – 2:08:17
Daniel Mesfun (USA) -2:08:24
Alex Maier (USA) – 2:08:33
Murphy Smith (USA) – 2:08:58
Zach Panning (USA) – 2:09:16
Jorge Castelblanco (Panama) – 2:09:24
Thomas Nobbs (Canada) – 2:09:25
Nadeel Wildschutt (South Africa) – 2:09:40
Jorge Luis Cruz (Mexico) – 2:09:43
Reed Fischer (USA) – 2:09:47
Jacob Thomson (USA) – 2:09:51
Ryan Johnson (USA) 2:10:20
Tesfu Tewelde (Eritrea) – 2:10:21
Thomas Fafard (Canada) – 2:10:29
Chris Maxon (USA) – 2:10:55
Benjamin Flanagan (Canada) 2:15:39
Brian Kibor (Kenya) – Debut
Tomoki Ota (Japan) – Debut
Kieran Tuntivate (Thailand) – Debut
Adriaan Wildschutt (South Africa) – Debut
Women’s Elite Entries
Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) – 2:14:04
Hawi Feysa (Ethiopia) – 2:14:57
Sutume Kebede (Ethiopia) – 2:15:55
Megertu Alemu (Ethiopia) – 2:16:34
Brillian Kipkoech (Kenya), 2:17:05
Sharon Lokedi (Kenya) – 2:17:22
Degitu Azimeraw (Ethiopia) – 2:17:58
Loice Chemnung (Kenya) – 2:18:24
Joan Kilimo (Kenya) – 2:18:40
Magdalyne Masai (Kenya) – 2:18:58
Fantu Worku (Ethiopia) – 2:19:08
Mary Ngugi Cooper (Kenya) – 2:19:26
Sara Hall (USA) – 2:20:32
Yuka Akasaki (Japan) – 2:21:33
Susanna Sullivan (USA) – 2:21:56
Des Linden (USA) – 2:22:38
Isobel Batt-Doyle (USA) – 2:22:59
Natosha Rogers (USA) – 2:23:28
Molly Born (USA) – 2:24:10
Dakotah Popehn (USA) – 2:24:20
Gabriella Rooker (USA) – 2:24:29
Elena Hayday (USA) – 2:24:45
Jess Warner-Judd (Great Britain) – 2:24:45
Kristine Eikrem Engeset (Norway) – 2:28:57
Amanda Mosborg (USA) – 2:32:01
Felicia Pasadyn (USA) – 2:35:17
Alexandra Aldana (Colombia) – 2:40:41
Laura Galvan (Mexico) – Debut
Emma Grace Hurley (USA) – Debut
Amy-Eloise Neale (Great Britain) – Debut
