Kenya’s Amos Kipruto won the 2026 Chicago Marathon on Sunday in a personal-best time of 2:01:09, improving his previous best by 30 seconds.
Kipruto’s winning time was 30 seconds faster than the 2:01:39 he recorded at the London Marathon in April.
Ethiopian Tadese Bikila finished second in Chicago in 2:02:56, while compatriot Milkesa Mengesha took third in 2:03:46.
The victory marked a turnaround for Kipruto, who finished second in Chicago last year behind Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo.
Kiplimo won that race in 2:02:23, with Kipruto crossing the line in 2:03:54.
Kipruto, the 2022 London Marathon champion, claimed his second World Marathon Major title with the Chicago win.
His 2:01:09 was 34 seconds outside the Chicago course record of 2:00:35, set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2023.
The Kenyan is a former London Marathon champion, having won the race in 2022. Sunday’s victory gives him a second major marathon title.
The Chicago course has a significant place in marathon history.
The late Kenyan runner Kelvin Kiptum set the course record of 2:00:35 there in 2023, a mark that remains 34 seconds faster than Kipruto’s winning time.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa defended her title in 2:13:33.
Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi finished second in 2:14:07, followed by compatriot Brigid Kosgei, who was third in 2:14:55.
Kipruto’s win came in the 48th running of the Chicago Marathon, which drew more than 55,000 runners to the streets of the US city.
The race is one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, a series of leading international marathons.
