Champions head back to Chicago

Three reigning Bank of America Chicago Marathon champions will return to defend their titles after the elite fields were announced for the event on Sunday October 12.

Kenya’s John Korir, whose dominant 2024 victory in 2:02:44 was the second fastest time in race history, backed that up in April with a convincing win at the Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America. He has stated he hopes to run sub-2:01, a feat only accomplished by the late Kelvin Kiptum when he set the world record of 2:00:35 in Chicago in 2023.

“I am confident that I will be able to defend my title at the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon this October,” said Korir, the eighth fastest man in history. “My training is going well, and I am focused on achieving another personal best time.”

Korir will have company up front from six men who have broken 2:04. Kenya’s Timothy Kiplagat, second at last year’s Tokyo Marathon, is the second fastest man in the field with a personal best of 2:02:55. Fellow Kenyans Amos Kipruto (2:03:13), who was third in Chicago last year, and CyBrian Kotut (2:03:22), who took third in Boston, will look to replace Korir atop the podium, as will two-time Olympic marathon medalist Bashir Abdi (2:03:36) of Belgium.

Jacob Kiplimo (2:03:37) of Uganda, the world record holder in the half marathon, will come to Chicago for his second career marathon start after a runner-up finish in the London Marathon this spring.

Two-time New York City Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworwor of Kenya makes his Chicago debut after setting a personal best of 2:04:33 with a victory in the Rotterdam Marathon in April.

As previously announced, the American contingent will be led by Conner Mantz, who will attempt to break the American record of 2:05:38 set by Khalid Khannouchi in 2002. Mantz ran his personal best of 2:05:08 at the 2025 Boston Marathon, which is not record eligible.

He’ll be joined by Galen Rupp (2:06:17), the 2017 Chicago champion and third fastest American of all time, and local standout Matt Richtman (2:07:56) who won the 2025 Los Angeles Marathon. Rory Linkletter (2:08:01) will attempt to break the Canadian marathon record of 2:05:36.

“The Bank of America Chicago Marathon will always be a special race for me,” said Rupp, who was part of the Chicago Marathon broadcast team last year. “The atmosphere and buzz around the city of Chicago on race weekend is unmatched. Chicago is always a fast course and I’m looking forward to testing myself against a great field.”

The 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will welcome a new women’s winner to its history books. The field features Hawi Feysa (2:17:00), who took third at the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year, making her Chicago debut. Also coming from Ethiopia is the 2023 Chicago Marathon third place finisher Megertu Alemu (2:16:34) who will be looking to claim her first victory on U.S. soil.

"I look forward to returning to the Chicago Marathon to try and improve on my previous performance there,” said Alemu, winner of the 2024 Valencia Marathon. “The course is very flat and fast; and with my good training this year; I feel that I am fit to run better this time in Chicago and move higher up on the podium. I look forward to the race and the energy that the city gives you."

Other notables on the women’s side include Irine Cheptai (2:17:51) of Kenya, who was third in Chicago last year, Bedatu Hirpa (2:18:27) of Ethiopia, who earned her personal best in Dubai earlier this year, Haven Hailu Desse (2:19:17) of Ethiopia, who finished fourth in the 2025 TCS London Marathon and Calli Hauger-Thackery (2:21:24), the second fastest British marathoner who will race Chicago for the first time. Ethiopia’s Ejgayehu Taye, the 2023 World Championships bronze medalist in the 10,000m, will make her marathon debut.

The American race will be led by 2024 Paris Olympian Dakotah Popehn (2:24:40) who set her personal best in Chicago in 2023. Popehn will be joined by Lindsay Flanagan (2:23:31), ninth-place finisher at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, Natosha Rogers (2:23:51), who set a massive personal best in Japan last spring, and former University of Utah standout Emily Venters, who will make her marathon debut.

“I’m coming back with one goal: run even faster,” said Popehn, who will run for the American Cancer Society. “There’s no place like Chicago for chasing speed: the crowd, the course, the energy - it’s built for breakthroughs.”

The reigning champions of the men’s and women’s wheelchair divisions, Switzerland’s Catherine Debrunner and Marcel Hug, will return to defend their Bank of America Chicago Marathon titles in 2025. Debrunner will look to make it a three-peat after winning here in 2023 and 2024.

“Last year's victory at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in a huge course record meant a lot to me. 2024 was a crazy year as it was a Paralympic year. I didn't expect that outcome at all,” said Debrunner, who won four gold medals in Paris.

“This year I have the special situation of traveling directly from the World Track Championships in New Delhi to Chicago. I'm excited about this challenge!”

Hug will chase his fourth consecutive and sixth overall Chicago victory.

"Last year's Bank of America Chicago Marathon was a tough battle, only decided in the final climb and was one of the most exciting finishes I've ever experienced," said Hug, who's margin of victory was only four seconds.

"With many top athletes returning to the Windy City, I'm hoping to cross the finish line first once again this year."

Hug will face a familiar battle with three-time Bank of America Chicago Marathon winner Daniel Romanchuk of the United States. Last year, the two engaged in a sprint finish down Columbus Drive with Hug beating Romanchuk by just four seconds. Top contenders also include Aaron Pike, who has 14 top ten finishes in Chicago and 2024 Paralympic triathlon gold medalist Jetze Plat of the Netherlands, who placed fifth at the Chicago Marathon last fall.

Debrunner will have to fend off a trio of past Chicago winners that includes 2023 champion Susannah Scaroni of the United States, two-time champion Manuela Schär of Switzerland and nine-time winner Tatyana McFadden of the United States.

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