Chicago Marathon: Millions Kenyan Athletes Missed Out on After Getting Trounced in US City

Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo and Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa are basking in the glory of their Chicago Marathon heroics and from their wins from Sunday’s race, they are guaranteed a big paycheck.

Kiplimo clocked a personal best 2:02:23 in just his second-ever marathon to win the men’s race ahead of Kenyan duo Amos Kipruto and Alex Masai, who stopped the clock at 2:03:52 and 2:04:37 respectively.

Meanwhile, Feysa was untouchable in the women’s race, storming home in a time of 2:14:56, with compatriot Megertu Alemu arriving home in second place almost three minutes later in 2:17:18.

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Tanzania’s Magdalena Shauri completed the podium after clocking 2:18:03 for an impressive third-place finish.

It was the first time in the last four years that a male athlete other than a Kenyan have won in Chicago given Kipruto triumphed in 2022, the late Kelvin Kiptum setting a world record as he won in 2023, while John Korir claimed it last year.

In the women’s category, only Dutch legend Sifan Hassan (2023) spoiled Kenya’s perfect run since 2018, when Brigid Kosgei won it, before defending her title in a then world record time in 2019, followed by Ruth Chepng’etich in 2021 and 2022 and then 2024, although the latter, won in a world record, is a subject of an anti-doping rule violation following her provisional suspension in July.

That no Kenyan man or woman was on the winner’s podium was therefore an underachievement by the country’s very high standards in Chicago and it also came at a cost as the prize money of $100,000 (Ksh12.9 million) that goes to each winner went to Uganda and Ethiopia.

Kiplimo and Feysa are therefore the ones who will each pocket $100,000 (Ksh12.9 million) for their heroics in Chicago although Kipruto and Masai are still assured a bumper harvest as second place attracts $75,000 (Ksh9.6 million) while third place nets $50,000 (Ksh6.4 million) in the ‘Windy City.’

Loice Chemnung was the best placed Kenyan woman in fourth place, after clocking 2:18:23 and she will take home $30,000 (Ksh3.8 million) for her efforts.