Kenyan runners Florence Kiplagat and Dickson Chumba will defend their Chicago Marathon titles Oct. 9 against women’s and men’s fields featuring historic experience.
The 39th edition of the 26.2-mile race through the streets of Chicago will include a record five former champions.
Kiplagat, who holds the world record in the half-marathon, showed great strategy last year in Chicago when she stayed with the pack before making her final move with less than two miles to go to win in 2 hours, 23 minutes, 33 seconds. She will face a stiff challenge from Ethiopia’s Atsede Baysa, a two-time Chicago Marathon winner (2010 and 2012).
Kenyans Valentine Kipketer and Gulume Chala are also strong contenders. Kipketer is making her Chicago debut after a strong fifth-place showing in the Boston Marathon in April.
Chumba won last year in Chicago in 2:09:25, breaking from the lead pack with three miles to go after a slow pace.
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He will be challenged by fellow Kenyan Dennis Kimetto, who set the Chicago course record of 2:03:45 in 2013 and holds the world record of 2:02:57, set in Berlin in 2014.
Other challengers in the men’s field include 2012 Chicago champion Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia, 2008 Olympic 10,000-meter bronze medalist Micah Kogo of Kenya and 8-kilometer world record holder Stephen Sambu of Kenya, making his marathon debut.
This will be the second year the Chicago Marathon is run without pacesetters.
“Dickson and Tsegaye have run their fastest career marathons in Chicago, and both Tsegaye and Dennis have experienced the thrill of breaking our course record,” race director Carey Pinkowski said. “To have so many past champions in one competition is thrilling.
“And there is depth on the American side as well. Without pacesetters, we could see a new champion emerge from this talented field.”
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