Catherine Debrunner sailed to a victory in the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon women's wheelchair race Sunday, potentially setting a course record with her incredible finish.
Finishing the race with not a competitor in sight, Debrunner maintained a steady lead for the entire 26.2 miles, securing her second straight victory in the race after a debut win in 2023.
Debrunner finished with an unofficial time just over an hour and 36 minutes. The course record was one hour and 38 minutes. If her time is certified, that will mark a course record.
Her biggest competitor, Susannah Scaroni, got a flat tire early in the race.
"I was super excited to come back here to Chicago. I really like the marathon here," Debrunner told NBC Chicago at the finish line. "It was just really unfortunate that Susannah got a flat tire really early. That's never nice, but it was a really tough race. There was a lot of wind and of course, it's always tough when you do all yourself. And I struggled quite often, so I was really happy when I was in the finish."
DeBrunner's dominance has been evident ever since she debuted in the 2022 Berlin Marathon. She won that race in consecutive years, including a world-record-setting pace of 1:34:16 in the 2023 competition. She also has captured three consecutive titles in the London Marathon and is the reigning champion in Chicago, setting a course record in 2023.
Bank of America Chicago Marathon
She is also a versatile competitor, having won gold medals in five different distances in the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, along with a silver medal in the 100-meter race.
DeBrunner's achievements earned her the 2023 Laureus Sports Person of the Year with a Disability award.
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