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CHICAGO, July 18,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The professional athlete field
for the 46th running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon was
announced today. It features two of the top 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," said Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski. "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."
This year's fastest women's marathoner, Sutume Kebede of
Ethiopia, leads the women's field.
Her 2:15:55 victory in the 2024 Tokyo Marathon makes her the eighth
fastest woman of all time. That performance came just two months
after Kebede set the record for fastest half marathon ever
completed in the United States at
the Aramco Houston Half Marathon in January with her winning time
of 1:04:37.
"I am extremely happy to come back to Chicago and run on a course that has proven to
be very fast," said Kebede, who had a disappointing finish in the
2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. "After seeing what my
teammate Kelvin Kiptum did last year, I want to come to
Chicago to do something
great."
Kebede is part of a training group that once included the late
Kelvin Kiptum. Kiptum was killed in a car crash this past February,
just four months after setting the marathon world record at the
2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
Kebede will face the fourth fastest woman in history, Ruth
Chepngetich of Kenya.
Chepngetich, the 2021 and 2022 Chicago champion, was runner up here
last year. Also among the top contenders is fellow Kenyan
Joyciline Jepkosgei, a TCS London and TCS New York City
Marathon Champion who was fourth in the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
The second and third fastest American women of all time will
join the three East African stars on the start line. Former
American marathon record holder Keira
D'Amato, who has been part of the broadcast team for the
past two years, will return to the start line this year.
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 here 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."
Other American contenders include Sara Hall and Annie Frisbie, both top 10 finishers at the
2024 U.S. Olympics Team Trials - Marathon, and Emma Bates, the 2021 Chicago runner-up.
Leading the way in the men's field is Amos Kipruto of
Kenya. 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.
"My goal is to try to run a personal best," said Kipruto, who
trains with 2022 Chicago winner Benson 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 have to fend off Vincent
Ngetich, also of Kenya,
who has an identical personal best of 2:03:13 and is seeking his
first major victory. Ngetich placed second at the 2023 BMW Berlin
Marathon, five places in front of Kipruto, and third at this year's
Tokyo Marathon. This will be the first time either Kipruto or
Ngetich has competed in the United
States. The race also marks the marathon debut of Daniel
Ebenyo of Kenya. Ebenyo, the
2023 World Championships silver medalist in the 10,000m, won the Generali Berlin Half Marathon
earlier this year.
The American contenders feature four of the top 10 finishers at
the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon: CJ Albertson,
Zach Panning, Nathan Martin and Reed Fischer. Martin won this year's Bank of
America Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago. Panning was the second American
finisher at the 2022 Chicago Marathon.
"After a heartbreaking Olympic Trials I knew I wanted to run
fast this fall. I can't think of a better place to do that than the
fastest marathon course in the world," said Panning who led most of
the Trials before fading to a sixth-place finish. "Chicago feels like home. It's where I debuted
in the marathon and it's where I ran my personal best. This year
I'm coming to the race with big goals, hoping to improve on that PB
and compete against many of the best in the world."
Defending champions in the wheelchair division Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner will return to attempt
to repeat their victories and better the course records they set in
2023. Hug, known as the Swiss Silver Bullet, will be chasing his
fifth Chicago title. Hug will face
two top Americans: familiar rival Daniel
Romanchuk, a three-time Chicago winner, 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, a four-time Abbott World Marathon
Majors series champion. "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, who holds the world record 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, of Switzerland,
looks to repeat following last year's down-to-the-wire battle with
Susannah Scaroni of
the United States. Scaroni, the
2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon champion and Manuela
Schär, the 2018 champion, are also set to return in what
promises to be another exciting race.
Media interested in covering the 2024 Bank of America Chicago
Marathon can apply for media credentials now through Friday, September 13. Visit
chicagomarathon.com/mediacredentials for more information on the
media credential application. More than 50,000 participants will
take part in the 46th edition of the Bank of America Chicago
Marathon on Sunday, October 13, 2024.
For the latest event updates, registered participants and community
members are encouraged to visit the Event FAQ which is available at
chicagomarathon.com.
Bank of America Chicago Marathon Professional Field – Women's
Open Division
Name
|
Country
|
Personal
Best
|
Ruth
Chepngetich
|
KEN
|
2:14:18 (Chicago,
2022)
|
Sutume
Kebede
|
ETH
|
2:15:55 (Tokyo,
2024)
|
Joyciline
Jepkosgei
|
KEN
|
2:16:24 (London,
2024)
|
Degitu
Azimeraw
|
ETH
|
2:17:58 (London,
2021)
|
Ashete Bekere
Dido
|
ETH
|
2:17:58 (Tokyo,
2022)
|
Hiwot
Gebrekidan
|
ETH
|
2:17:59 (Valencia,
2023)
|
Irine
Cheptai
|
KEN
|
2:18:22 (Hamburg,
2024)
|
Keira
D'Amato
|
USA
|
2:19:12 (Houston,
2022)
|
Betsy Saina
|
USA
|
2:19:17 (Tokyo,
2024)
|
Dorcas
Tuitoek
|
KEN
|
2:20:02 (Amsterdam,
2023)
|
Mary
Ngugi-Cooper
|
KEN
|
2:20:22 (London,
2022)
|
Sara Hall
|
USA
|
2:20:32 (Chandler,
2020)
|
Emma Bates
|
USA
|
2:22:10 (Boston,
2022)
|
Buze Diriba
|
ETH
|
2:23:11 (Toronto,
2023)
|
Sara Vaughn
|
USA
|
2:23:24 (Chicago,
2023)
|
Susanna
Sullivan
|
USA
|
2:24:27 (London,
2023)
|
Gabi Rooker
|
USA
|
2:24:35 (Chicago,
2023)
|
Lindsay
Flanagan
|
USA
|
2:24:43 (Gold Coast,
2022)
|
Nell Rojas
|
USA
|
2:24:51 (Boston,
2023)
|
Stacey Ndiwa
|
KEN
|
2:25:29 (Los Angeles,
2024)
|
Laura
Thweatt
|
USA
|
2:25:38 (London,
2017)
|
Lauren
Hagans
|
USA
|
2:25:56 (Duluth,
2023)
|
Annie
Frisbie
|
USA
|
2:26:18 (New York,
2021)
|
Jackie
Gaughan
|
USA
|
2:27:08 (Berlin,
2023)
|
Dominique
Scott
|
RSA
|
2:27:31 (Chicago,
2023)
|
Diane Nukuri
|
USA
|
2:27:50 (London,
2015)
|
Makena
Morley
|
USA
|
2:30:25 (Los Angeles,
2024)
|
Anne Marie
Blaney
|
USA
|
2:30:43 (Orlando,
2024)
|
Andrea
Pomaranski
|
USA
|
2:31:06 (Houston,
2023)
|
Amy
Davis-Green
|
USA
|
2:33:09 (Orlando,
2024)
|
Aubrey
Frentheway
|
USA
|
Debut
|
Bank of America Chicago Marathon Professional Field – Women's
Wheelchair Division
Name
|
Country
|
Classification
|
Personal
Best
|
Susannah
Scaroni
|
USA
|
T54
|
1:27:31 (Duluth,
2022)
|
Manuela
Schär
|
SUI
|
T54
|
1:28:17 (Boston,
2017)
|
Tatyana
McFadden
|
USA
|
T54
|
1:31:30 (Duluth,
2019)
|
Jenna
Fesemyer
|
USA
|
T54
|
1:33:50 (Duluth,
2022)
|
Catherine
Debrunner
|
SUI
|
T53
|
1:34:16 (Berlin, 2023)
World Record
|
Nikita Den
Boer
|
NED
|
T54
|
1:38:16 (Tokyo,
2021)
|
Eden
Rainbow-Cooper
|
GBR
|
T54
|
1:35:11 (Boston,
2024)
|
Tian
Yajuan
|
CHN
|
T54
|
1:39:39 (Dubai,
2024)
|
Vanessa De
Souza
|
BRA
|
T54
|
1:40:21 (Seville,
2020)
|
Yen Hoang
|
USA
|
T53
|
1:47:29 (London,
2022)
|
Bank of America Chicago Marathon Professional Field – Men's
Open Division
Name
|
Country
|
Personal
Best
|
Amos Kipruto
|
KEN
|
2:03:13 (Tokyo,
2022)
|
Vincent
Ngetich
|
KEN
|
2:03:13 (Berlin,
2023)
|
Dawit Wolde
|
ETH
|
2:03:48 (Valencia,
2023)
|
Amdework
Walelegn
|
ETH
|
2:04:50 (Rotterdam,
2024)
|
John Korir
|
KEN
|
2:05:01 (Chicago,
2022)
|
Huseydin Mohamed
Esa
|
ETH
|
2:05:05 (Amsterdam,
2022)
|
Jemal Yimer
|
ETH
|
2:06:08 (Seoul,
2024)
|
Tatsuya
Maruyama
|
JPN
|
2:07:50 (Berlin,
2022)
|
Yuichi Yasui
|
JPN
|
2:08:48 (Beppu,
2023)
|
Jorge
Castelblanco
|
PAN
|
2:09:24 (Seville,
2024)
|
Zach Panning
|
USA
|
2:09:28 (Chicago,
2022)
|
Brian
Shrader
|
USA
|
2:09:46 (Chicago,
2023)
|
CJ Albertson
|
USA
|
2:09:53 (Boston,
2024)
|
Tomoki
Yoshioka
|
JPN
|
2:10:03 (Beppu,
2024)
|
Reed Fischer
|
USA
|
2:10:34 (Boston,
2022)
|
Nathan
Martin
|
USA
|
2:10:45 (Duluth,
2023)
|
Colin Mickow
|
USA
|
2:11:22 (Chandler,
2020)
|
Kevin
Salvano
|
USA
|
2:11:26 (Chicago,
2023)
|
Jacob
Thomson
|
USA
|
2:11:40 (Gold Coast,
2023)
|
Turner Wiley
|
USA
|
2:11:59 (Chicago,
2022)
|
JP Flavin
|
USA
|
2:13:27 (Boston,
2023)
|
Charlie
Sweeney
|
USA
|
2:13:41 (Sacramento,
2023)
|
Ben Kendell
|
USA
|
2:15:49 (Sacramento,
2022)
|
Phil Migas
|
CAN
|
2:15:53 (Hamburg,
2024)
|
Daniel
Ebenyo
|
KEN
|
Debut
|
Alex Maier
|
USA
|
Debut
|
Isai
Rodriguez
|
USA
|
Debut
|
Bank of America Chicago Marathon Professional Field – Men's
Wheelchair Division
Name
|
Country
|
Classification
|
Personal
Best
|
Marcel Hug
|
SUI
|
T54
|
1:17:47 (Oita, 2021)
World Record
|
Aaron Pike
|
USA
|
T54
|
1:20:02 (Duluth,
2022)
|
Johnboy
Smith
|
GBR
|
T54
|
1:20:05 (Duluth,
2022)
|
Kota
Hokinoue
|
JPN
|
T54
|
1:20:54 (Seoul,
2013)
|
Daniel
Romanchuk
|
USA
|
T54
|
1:21:36 (Boston,
2019)
|
Rafael Botello
Jimenez
|
ESP
|
T54
|
1:22:09 (Boston,
2017)
|
Patrick
Monahan
|
IRL
|
T53
|
1:22:23 (Duluth,
2019)
|
Luo
Xingchuan
|
CHN
|
T54
|
1:23:49 (Chengdu,
2023)
|
Sho Watanabe
|
JPN
|
T54
|
1:24:00 (Oita,
2019)
|
Simon Lawson
|
GBR
|
T53
|
1:25:06 (Boston,
2017)
|
Ma Zhuo
|
CHN
|
T54
|
1:25:10 (Chengdu,
2023)
|
Hiroki
Nishida
|
JPN
|
T54
|
1:20:28 (Boston,
2017)
|
Brian
Siemann
|
USA
|
T53
|
1:26:46 (Boston,
2017)
|
Hu Yang
|
CHN
|
T54
|
1:32:15 (Chengdu,
2023)
|
Rob Smith
|
GBR
|
T52
|
1:55:51 (Dubai,
2017)
|
About the Bank of America Chicago Marathon
The Bank of
America Chicago Marathon welcomes thousands of participants from
more than 100 countries and all 50 states, including a world-class
professional field, top regional and Masters runners, race
veterans, debut marathoners and charity participants. The race's
iconic course takes participants through 29 vibrant neighborhoods
on an architectural and cultural tour of Chicago. The 2024 Bank of America Chicago
Marathon, a member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, will start
and finish in Grant Park on
Sunday, October 13, 2024. In advance
of the race, a three-day Abbott Health & Fitness Expo will be
held at McCormick Place Convention Center on Thursday, October 10, Friday, October 11, and Saturday, October 12. For more information about
the event and how to get involved, go to chicagomarathon.com.
For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements
and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom
and register for news email alerts.
Reporters May Contact:
Alex
Sawyer, Bank of America Chicago Marathon
Phone: 1.312.992.6618
alex.sawyer@cemevent.com
Diane Wagner, Bank of America
Phone: 1.312.992.2370
diane.wagner@bofa.com
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SOURCE Bank of America Corporation