A Closer Look at the Results of 5 Recent Chicago Marathons

One of the six World Marathon Majors, the Chicago Marathon is the fourth-largest race in the world based on the number of finishers. The annual event was first held in 1905, but the modern iteration of the Chicago Marathon began in 1977 as the Mayor Daley Marathon. Roughly 4,200 people participated in the race that year, but today, up to 40,000 people run in the Chicago Marathon each year.

The following is a look at the race winners and other interesting stories in each of the last five events.

1. 2021 — Back to Normal

Ethiopia’s Seifu Tura (2:06:12) and Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich (2:22:31) won the men’s and women’s races, respectively, in 2021 as the Chicago Marathon returned as an in-person event following a one-year disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shifera Tamru of Ethiopia held the lead in the men’s marathon through the halfway point, but a group of three runners, including Tura and American Galen Rupp, eventually closed the gap and passed Tamru. Tura gained a slight advantage on the other two runners and finished 23 seconds ahead of Rupp. Kenya’s Eric Kiptanui finished in third, 39 seconds behind Tura.

Chepngetich, following a second-place finish at the London Marathon, won in relatively easy fashion, finishing almost 2 minutes ahead of American Emma Bates. Americans Sara Hall and Keira D’Amato finished third and fourth, respectively.

2. 2020 — Virtual Race

Like almost everything else during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chicago Marathon was dramatically different in 2020. Rather than postponing or canceling the event, organizers opted to host a virtual marathon, allowing participants around the world to complete the 26.2-mile distance from anywhere and at any time. Many runners in Chicago, however, re-imagined the traditional race in the city along a lakefront path with socially distanced group runs.

Training was also different. Those who decided to train with others in small groups had to wear facemasks and stay 6 feet apart. Despite the differences, runners, such as Tyrand Williams, were happy to experience some sense of normalcy during the pandemic.

“When everything was getting shut down in March, running was the thing that kept a lot of people sane,” Williams, participating in his third Chicago Marathon, told the Chicago Tribune. “Knowing that if you can get through the marathon this year means that you can get through it any year. It gave me perspective to keep pushing through.”

Participants had 24 hours to complete the race, and once all results were logged, Brian Reis (2:36:21) and Theresa B. Adolfo (2:36:25) were the first-place finishers in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively.

3. 2019 — Kenyan Sweep

Kenyan runners Lawrence Cherono (2:05:45) and Brigid Kosgei (2:14:04) swept the podium for the African country in 2019. Cherono, who also won the Boston Marathon in 2019, won an incredibly tight men’s race, finishing 1 second ahead of Dejene Debela and 3 seconds ahead of Asefa Mengstu. Jacob Riley was the top American finisher in ninth place at a finishing time of 2:10:36.

Kosgei, in contrast, won the women’s race dominantly and set a new world record in the process. The defending Chicago Marathon champion and 2019 London Marathon winner was almost 1 minute ahead of her closest competition midway through the race and remarkably improved her pace in the second half. She beat the previous world record set by Paula Radcliffe 16 years prior by 81 seconds.

4. 2018 — Farah Sets New European Record

Mo Farah, the most accomplished male long-distance runner of all time, won the 2018 Chicago Marathon with a finish time of 2:05:11 and set a new European record in the process. The British runner previously won the gold medal in the 10,000- and 5,000-meter races in the 2016 and 2012 Olympics. He’s also a six-time World Champion. Mosinet Geremew of Ethiopia finished second among male runners with a finish time of 2:05:24.

Kosgei won her first of two consecutive Chicago Marathon titles in the women’s division. The Kenyan runner recorded a then personal best finish of 2:18:35. Her victory was particularly sweet considering her second-place finishes at the 2018 London Marathon and 2017 Chicago Marathon.

5. 2017 — Galen Rupp Ends American Drought

The 2017 Chicago Marathon was a landmark race for Americans as Galen Rupp became the first American to win the race since Khalid Khannouchi in 2002. Kenyan runners Abel Kirui and Bernard Kipyego finished second and third, respectively.

Rupp finished the marathon at 2:09:20 and won the $100,000 first prize. He finished third the following year and was forced to withdraw from the 2019 Chicago Marathon due to injury.

Ethiopian runner Tirunesh Dibaba won the women’s race in a finish time of 2:18:31. She finished nearly 2 minutes ahead of Kosgei, who went on to win the marathon in 2018 and 2019. American Jordan Hasay finished in third place with a finish time of 2:20:57.