Sky high expectations as Kiptum, Chepng’etich eye history in Chicago Marathon
By Joel Sang, October 7, 2023After the Riga World Athletics Road Championship, the focus shifts to the Chicago Marathon, where Kelvin Kiptum and Ruth Chepng’etich will be looking to make history on Sunday, October 8, 2023.
One of the memorable performances by Kiptum, 23, was when he won the London Marathon in 2:01:25. He won by the second fastest mark of all time when he ran sub-2:02 twice in 5 months after making the fastest marathon debut in history in Valencia the previous December.
Apart from that memorable part, Kiptum defeated legendary marathoner Eliud Kipchoge as he also closed the second half of his race in an astonishing 59:45, which is the fastest second half of a marathon in history.
Although expectations for Kiptum are high, there is a cautious feeling around since he has not been fit in the year. In 2023, he has only run once, but again, it might not be prudent to write him off.
Kiptum’s rivals
Kiptum’s rival is Benson Kipruto, who is the Boston Marathon winner in 2021, and the 2021 champion Seifu Tura. Tura finished 2nd in Chicago last year and 6th in London this past spring.
Bashir Abdi, with two World and Olympic medals, two podium finishes in World Marathon Majors, and two wins in 2021 and 2023 at the Rotterdam Marathon, is another strong contender.
Chepng’etich, on the other hand, is looking for a threepeat at the Chicago course.
In the last three seasons, she has won Chicago twice and the Nagoya Women’s Marathon twice, but dropped out of the Olympic marathon and the World Championships marathon in the same period.
Chepng’etich’s rivals
While the Kenyan is looking to make history, she will have to fight hard and beat her closest rival, Abadel Yesheneh.
Yesheneh, who finished 4th (Boston 2023), 2nd (Boston 2022), 3rd (New York 2021), and 2nd (Chicago 2019), is yet to win a world major.
New York City Marathon and London Marathon champion Jocyline Jepkosgei will also be racing in Chicago, while Megertu Alemu is a late entrant as she was added to the participant’s list in September.
Alemu finished second ahead of Peres Jepchirchir and Yalemzerf Yehualaw in London.