Chicago Marathon

Who to watch in the 2024 Chicago Marathon: Top elites who could win the race

The lineup is highlighted by two of the "10 fastest women of all time, two of the world’s most exciting marathon stars racing in the United States for the first time and both defending champions in the wheelchair field"

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The 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will feature past champions and exciting marathon stars, with a potential record on the line.

The lineup is highlighted by two of the "10 fastest women of all time, two of the world’s most exciting marathon stars racing in the United States for the first time and both defending champions in the wheelchair field."

“We are accustomed to making history at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon,” Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski said in a statement. “With some of the fastest athletes in the world joining us this fall, we are hopeful to build on the tradition of great performances this year.”

So who are the runners to watch?

Top women

Among the notable names at the starting line will be Sutume Kebede, of Ethiopia, the fastest marathon in the women's field and whose finish at the 2024 Tokyo Marathon made her the eighth fastest of all time.

“I am extremely happy to come back to Chicago and run on a course that has proven to be very fast,” Kebede, who had a disappointing finish in the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, said in a statement. “After seeing what my teammate Kelvin Kiptum did last year, I want to come to Chicago to do something great.”

Kebede trained in a group that once included the late Kelvin Kiptum, a world record holder in Chicago who was tragically killed in a car crash in February, shocking the global running community.

Kebede will also face past Chicago champion Ruth Chepngetich, who won both the 2021 and 2022 races and was the runner-up in 2023.

The two will be joined by the second and third-fastest American women of all time, including former marathon record holder Keira D’Amato, who will return to the starting line after being part of the broadcast team for the past two years. Betsy Saina, who placed fifth in this year’s Tokyo Marathon, will look to record her first Chicago finish after dropping out of the race in 2019 due to illness.

“I have a special history with the Chicago Marathon,” said D’Amato who finished fourth in 2021. “The past two years I’ve run my mouth in the lead vehicle for NBC. I’m excited to get back to running my legs.”

D'Amato first broke the American marathon record in 2022 in Houston, topping a time that had stood for 16 years.

Emily Sisson broke that same record shortly after during the 2022 Chicago Marathon. D'Amato was among the long line of legendary female runners celebrating Sisson at the Chicago finish line that year.

Saina has run the third-fastest marathon time of any American woman, one spot behind D'Amato.

Sara Hall and Emma Bates are also in the field for the Americans. Hall's best time of 2:20:32 comes from Chandler in 2020. Bates ran her best time in 2022 at the Boston Marathon with a 2:22:10 finish.

Top men

On the men's side, Amos Kipruto of Kenya will highlight the elite lineup.

"Having reached the podium in three Abbott World Marathon Majors including a victory in the 2022 TCS London Marathon, Kipruto now has his sights set on Chicago and like Kebede, says he will also run in honor of Kiptum," a release from the marathon said.

“My goal is to try to run a personal best,” said Kipruto. “I want to show the world that I am still the kind of athlete who is capable of winning a major like Chicago.”

Kipruto will face Vincent Ngetich, also of Kenya, "who has an identical personal best of 2:03:13 and is seeking his first major victory."

Ethiopia’s Birhanu Legese, whose 2:02:48 in the 2019 Berlin Marathon is the fastest personal best time of any of the runners in the field, was also recently added to the lineup.

In more recent years, he has finished in the top-five in Tokyo, Valencia, and London, with a fourth-place finish in the 2023 Amsterdam Marathon, with a time of 2:04:43.

A pair of Japanese runners will also join the field, with Kyohei Hosoya (2:06:35) and Toshiki Sadakata (2:07:05) jumping into the competition.

American runner Shadrack Kipchirchir, who won the USA Cross Country Championships’ 10,000 meter race in 2022 and competed in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, will also join the field.

Wheelchair racers

Defending champions in the wheelchair division Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner will return to attempt repeat victories. Hug, also known as the Swiss Silver Bullet, will be chasing his fifth Chicago title but he'll be battling American rival and former Chicago winner Daniel Romanchuk, and Aaron Pike, who will be making his 15th Chicago start. 

“The Chicago Marathon has been a permanent fixture in my race calendar for years,” said Hug. “The energy of the city and the enthusiasm of the spectators are unique. I'm looking forward to taking on the challenge and trying to defend my title again.”

“I feel honored to return to the Chicago Marathon as defending champion,” said Debrunner, the world record holder for the marathon in the women’s wheelchair division. “The crowd last year was amazing and I am confident it will be the same this year."

Debrunner will battle with American racer Susannah Scaroni after the two had a down-to-the-wire finish last year. Both Scaroni, the 2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon champion, and Manuela Schär, the 2018 champion, will look to dethrone Debrunner.

In the men’s wheelchair division, Canada’s Josh Cassidy will join the field with the second-best personal best time on the board, just behind Marcel Hug’s world-record 1:17:47 performance in Oita in 2021.

American Michelle Wheeler also highlighted a list of new entrants, with a personal best time of 1:45:45. Egypt’s Hoda Elshorbagy, who set a career best in last year’s Chicago Marathon at 1:58:38, will also be joining the field, along with an American trio of Eva Houston, Hanna Dederick and Rachel Cleaver.

Full elite lineup

Here is the full lineup:

Bank of America Chicago Marathon Professional Field – Women’s Open Division

NameCountryPersonal Best
Ruth ChepngetichKEN2:14:18 (Chicago, 2022)
Sutume KebedeETH2:15:55 (Tokyo, 2024)
Joyciline JepkosgeiKEN2:16:24 (London, 2024)
Degitu AzimerawETH2:17:58 (London, 2021)
Ashete Bekere DidoETH2:17:58 (Tokyo, 2022)
Hiwot GebrekidanETH2:17:59 (Valencia, 2023)
Irine CheptaiKEN2:18:22 (Hamburg, 2024)
Keira D'AmatoUSA2:19:12 (Houston, 2022)
Betsy SainaUSA2:19:17 (Tokyo, 2024)
Sara HallUSA2:20:32 (Chandler, 2020)
Emma BatesUSA2:22:10 (Boston, 2022)
Buze DiribaETH2:23:11 (Toronto, 2023)
Sara VaughnUSA2:23:24 (Chicago, 2023)
Susanna SullivanUSA2:24:27 (London, 2023)
Gabi RookerUSA2:24:35 (Chicago, 2023)
Lindsay FlanaganUSA2:24:43 (Gold Coast, 2022)
Stacey NdiwaKEN2:25:29 (Los Angeles, 2024)
Laura ThweattUSA2:25:38 (London, 2017)
Lauren HagansUSA2:25:56 (Duluth, 2023)
Annie FrisbieUSA2:26:18 (New York, 2021)
Jackie GaughanUSA2:27:08 (Berlin, 2023)
Dominique ScottRSA2:27:31 (Chicago, 2023)
Diane NukuriUSA2:27:50 (London, 2015)
Makena MorleyUSA2:30:25 (Los Angeles, 2024)
Anne Marie BlaneyUSA2:30:43 (Orlando, 2024)
Amy Davis-GreenUSA2:33:09 (Orlando, 2024)
Aubrey FrenthewayUSADebut

Bank of America Chicago Marathon Professional Field – Women’s Wheelchair Division

NameCountryClassificationPersonal Best
Susannah ScaroniUSAT541:27:31 (Duluth, 2022)
Manuela SchärSUIT541:28:17 (Boston, 2017)
Tatyana McFaddenUSAT541:31:30 (Duluth, 2019)
Jenna FesemyerUSAT541:33:50 (Duluth, 2022)
Catherine DebrunnerSUIT531:34:16 (Berlin, 2023) World Record
Nikita Den BoerNEDT541:38:16 (Tokyo, 2021)
Eden Rainbow-CooperGBRT541:35:11 (Boston, 2024)
Tian Yajuan CHNT541:39:39 (Dubai, 2024)
Yen HoangUSAT531:47:29 (London, 2022)

New additions:

  • Michelle Wheeler USA 1:45:45 (Oita, 2019)
  • Hoda Elshorbagy EGY 1:58:38 (Chicago, 2023)
  • Eva Houston USA 1:59:49 (Duluth, 2022)
  • Hannah Dederick USA 2:02:23 (Chicago, 2022)
  • Rachel Cleaver USA Debut

Bank of America Chicago Marathon Professional Field – Men’s Open Division

NameCountryPersonal Best
Amos KiprutoKEN2:03:13 (Tokyo, 2022)
Vincent NgetichKEN2:03:13 (Berlin, 2023)
Dawit WoldeETH2:03:48 (Valencia, 2023)
Amdework WalelegnETH2:04:50 (Rotterdam, 2024)
John KorirKEN2:05:01 (Chicago, 2022)
Huseydin Mohamed EsaETH2:05:05 (Amsterdam, 2022)
Jemal YimerETH2:06:08 (Seoul, 2024)
Tatsuya MaruyamaJPN2:07:50 (Berlin, 2022)
Yuichi YasuiJPN2:08:48 (Beppu, 2023)
Jorge CastelblancoPAN2:09:24 (Seville, 2024)
Zach PanningUSA2:09:28 (Chicago, 2022)
Brian ShraderUSA2:09:46 (Chicago, 2023)
CJ AlbertsonUSA2:09:53 (Boston, 2024)
Tomoki YoshiokaJPN2:10:03 (Beppu, 2024)
Reed FischerUSA2:10:34 (Boston, 2022)
Nathan MartinUSA2:10:45 (Duluth, 2023)
Colin MickowUSA2:11:22 (Chandler, 2020)
Kevin SalvanoUSA2:11:26 (Chicago, 2023)
Jacob ThomsonUSA2:11:40 (Gold Coast, 2023)
Turner WileyUSA2:11:59 (Chicago, 2022)
JP FlavinUSA2:13:27 (Boston, 2023)
Charlie SweeneyUSA2:13:41 (Sacramento, 2023)
Ben KendellUSA2:15:49 (Sacramento, 2022)
Phil MigasCAN2:15:53 (Hamburg, 2024)
Daniel EbenyoKENDebut
Alex MaierUSADebut

New additions:

  • Birhanu Legese ETH 2:02:48 (Berlin, 2019)
  • Kyohei Hosoya JPN 2:06:35 (Otsu, 2021)
  • Toshiki Sadakata JPN 2:07:05 (Tokyo, 2020)
  • Shadrack Kipchirchir USA 2:13:02 (Amsterdam, 2023)
  • Peter Lynch IRL Debut
  • Alex Masai KEN Debut

Bank of America Chicago Marathon Professional Field – Men’s Wheelchair Division

NameCountryClassificationPersonal Best
Marcel HugSUIT541:17:47 (Oita, 2021) World Record
Aaron PikeUSAT541:20:02 (Duluth, 2022)
Johnboy SmithGBRT541:20:05 (Duluth, 2022)
Kota HokinoueJPNT541:20:54 (Seoul, 2013)
Daniel RomanchukUSAT541:21:36 (Boston, 2019)
Rafael Botello JimenezESPT541:22:09 (Boston, 2017)
Patrick MonahanIRLT531:22:23 (Duluth, 2019)
Luo Xingchuan CHNT541:23:49 (Chengdu, 2023)
Sho WatanabeJPNT541:24:00 (Oita, 2019)
Simon LawsonGBRT531:25:06 (Boston, 2017)
Ma ZhuoCHNT541:25:10 (Chengdu, 2023)
Hiroki NishidaJPNT541:20:28 (Boston, 2017)
Brian SiemannUSAT531:26:46 (Boston, 2017)
Hu YangCHNT541:32:15 (Chengdu, 2023)
Rob SmithGBRT521:55:51 (Dubai, 2017)

New additions:

  • Josh Cassidy CAN 1:18:25 (Boston, 2012)
  • Hiroki Nishida JPN 1:20:28 (Boston, 2017)
  • Jordi Madera ESP 1:22:10 (Boston, 2017)
  • Tomoki Suzuki JPN 1:22:55 (Oita, 2019)
  • Jetze Plat NED 1:24:28 (Dubai, 2023)
  • Evan Correll USA 1:27:19 (Duluth, 2022)
  • Jason Robinson USA 1:29:01 (Duluth, 2022)
  • Grant Pierce USA 2:00:18 (Chicago, 2023)
  • Ethan Burkhart USA 2:00:53 (Duluth, 2019)
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