The 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon lived up to its reputation as one of the world’s fastest courses, delivering spectacular performances across all divisions on Sunday, October 12. Over 50,000 runners from more than 120 countries took to the streets of the Windy City under near-perfect racing conditions, and the elite fields did not disappoint.
Kiplimo’s Stunning Victory in Just His Second Marathon
In a performance that stunned the running world, Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo claimed victory in only his second-ever marathon with an extraordinary time of 2:02:23. The 24-year-old world half-marathon record holder ran with such authority that he was on pace to break Kelvin Kiptum’s world record of 2:00:35 through the first 22 miles of the race.
Kiplimo’s winning strategy proved counterintuitive to conventional racing wisdom. Rather than matching the aggressive early pace set by his competitors, he deliberately held back. “I noticed other runners racing too fast, so I eased up and maintained my pace,” Kiplimo explained after the race. This patience paid dividends as he pulled away from defending champion John Korir and the rest of the field.
His finishing time of 2:02:23 ranks as the seventh-fastest marathon in history and establishes a new Ugandan national record. Though he faded slightly in the final miles, posting a 5:05 for mile 25, the achievement remains remarkable for someone with such limited marathon experience. After crossing the finish line, an exhausted Kiplimo collapsed onto the pavement before being helped to his feet, having left everything on the Chicago streets.
Mantz Shatters Long-Standing American Record
While Kiplimo captured the headlines with his victory, American distance runner Conner Mantz made history of his own with a fourth-place finish in 2:04:43. The Utah native and BYU graduate obliterated Khalid Khannouchi’s American marathon record of 2:05:38, which had stood since 2002 at the London Marathon.
Mantz had publicly declared his intention to break the record before the race, putting immense pressure on himself. “I don’t like to put my goals out there because it’s being vulnerable,” Mantz admitted. “Fortunately, the build went really well.” His time also surpassed Ryan Hall’s 2:04:58 from the 2011 Boston Marathon, which had been the fastest marathon ever run by an American on any course.
The performance marks the culmination of a remarkable year for Mantz, who won the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials and finished eighth at the Paris Olympics. He has now been the top American finisher in his last six marathons, establishing himself as the face of American distance running. When Khannouchi met Mantz after the finish, he joked, “What took you so long?” to break the record that had endured for more than two decades.
Feysa Claims First Major Marathon Title
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa delivered a commanding performance to win her first World Marathon Major title in 2:14:56. The time represents both a significant personal best and the sixth-fastest women’s marathon in history, announcing Feysa’s arrival among the sport’s elite.
Feysa controlled the race from start to finish, executing a masterful race plan with nearly perfect even splits of 1:07:30 for the first half and 1:07:26 for the second. “I worked really hard, I trained really hard to have this victory. I’m really happy,” Feysa said through a translator after the race.
The victory marks a remarkable progression for Feysa, who won the 2024 Frankfurt Marathon in 2:17:25 before improving further with a third-place finish in Tokyo earlier this year. Her Chicago performance represented a massive leap forward, dropping more than two minutes from her previous personal best and establishing her as a force to be reckoned with in future major marathons.
Fellow Ethiopians Megertu Alemu and Magdalena Shauri rounded out the podium with times of 2:17:18 and 2:18:03, respectively. American Natosha Rogers led a strong contingent of U.S. women with a sixth-place finish in 2:23:28, contributing to what many observers called one of the deepest and fastest women’s fields in Chicago Marathon history.
Wheelchair Division Excellence
The wheelchair races produced their own brand of excellence and history. Swiss athlete Marcel Hug continued his dominance of the Chicago course, claiming his sixth career victory and fourth consecutive title with a time of 1:23:20. The performance, while narrowly missing the course record of 1:22:37 that Hug himself set in 2023, made him the most decorated men’s wheelchair competitor in Chicago Marathon history, surpassing Kurt Fearnley’s mark of five championships.
“I was chasing for the record. I was trying very hard, I went all in, but I think the last 10k maybe I was too tired and then I lost the time, but still happy with my win definitely,” Hug said at the finish line, demonstrating the high standards he sets for himself even in victory.
In the women’s wheelchair division, American Susannah Scaroni powered to victory with a time of 1:38:12, narrowly missing the course record of 1:38:00. “Today felt so good,” Scaroni beamed. “It felt like a gift, you know? Perfect weather, I felt strong, slept well, and just wanted to push myself and the pace and couldn’t be happier.”
Perfect Conditions, Perfect Stage
The stellar performances were aided by ideal racing conditions that Chicago has become famous for providing. The flat, fast course combined with mild October weather created the perfect environment for record attempts and personal bests. Nearly 1.5 million spectators lined the streets, creating an electric atmosphere that carried runners through the challenging final miles.
The 47th running of the Chicago Marathon reinforced the event’s status as one of the six World Marathon Majors and a premier destination for runners chasing fast times and personal records. With a total prize purse of $908,000, the race continues to attract the world’s best athletes while remaining accessible to recreational runners from around the globe.
Looking Ahead
As the dust settles on another memorable Chicago Marathon, attention now turns to the New York City Marathon on November 2, which will feature Olympic champions Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan making their debuts in the five-borough race. The World Marathon Majors series continues to showcase the sport at its highest level, and Sunday’s performances in Chicago have set a remarkably high bar for what’s to come.
For Kiplimo, Mantz, Feysa, and the thousands of other runners who conquered Chicago’s streets, the 2025 race will be remembered as a day when everything came together. Perfect weather, a fast course, deep competition, and the courage to chase ambitious goals combined to produce one of the greatest marathon days in recent memory.
Quick Results Summary
Men’s Elite Race: Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) 2:02:23; John Korir (Kenya) 2:03:48; Vincent Kipkemboi (Kenya) 2:04:24; Conner Mantz (USA) 2:04:43 – American Record
Women’s Elite Race: Hawi Feysa (Ethiopia) 2:14:56; Megertu Alemu (Ethiopia) 2:17:18; Magdalena Shauri (Tanzania) 2:18:03; Top American: Natosha Rogers 2:23:28
Men’s Wheelchair: Marcel Hug (Switzerland) 1:23:20
Women’s Wheelchair: Susannah Scaroni (USA) 1:38:12
Full results are available on the official website.
