It’s Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, and meaning one factor to marathon followers: it’s time for the 2023 Financial institution of America Chicago Marathon. This yr’s elite area will likely be one to recollect, with the good Sifan Hassan competing in her second profession marathon towards the 2019 world champion and the third-fastest marathoner in historical past, Ruth Chepngetich. The lads’s aspect is simply as thrilling, with the comparatively unknown Kelvin Kiptum on the verge of greatness, concentrating on Eliud Kipchoge’s world report of two:01:09 on Sunday.
The younger star
At 23 and with solely two profession marathons to his identify, Kiptum has shortly established himself as among the best distance runners on this planet. Though, regardless of his achievements in London, he stays comparatively unknown on the key marathon scene. Kiptum is self-coached and didn’t enter marathoning from a prolific monitor profession like Kipchoge, Mo Farah, or Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele.
Kiptum made his marathon debut final December on the 2022 Valencia Marathon, taking a commanding victory in 2:01:53, the quickest debut in historical past. He continued his dominance on the 2023 London Marathon, the place he shattered Kipchoge’s course report and got here inside 16 seconds of the world report, with a 2:01:25 end.
In June, Kiptum was chosen for Staff Kenya within the 2023 World Athletics Championships marathon. Nonetheless, he declined the invitation to deal with a fall marathon as an alternative. He settled on Chicago, which is broadly thought to be the quickest marathon main in North America.
In a pre-race interview with Olympics.com, Kiptum mentioned he’s well-trained for the Chicago course and believes he can change into the primary man in historical past to run a 2:00 flat on Sunday. Kiptum’s selection of Chicago over the opposite fall majors, Berlin and NYC, signifies his eagerness to chase the world report. Chicago’s primarily flat course, with solely 70 meters of elevation acquire, makes it a great setting.
Kiptum’s competitors
If Kiptum intends to hit the midway mark round 60 minutes, there will not be many within the area who can sustain with him. The 2020 Olympic marathon bronze medallist, Bashir Abdi, is listed because the second quickest athlete in Chicago with a private greatest of two:03:36. Abdi completed fifth right here in 2019 and will likely be trying to enhance on his time of two:06:14.
Kiptum may also face off towards among the best tactical marathoners on this planet and the reigning champion, Benson Kipruto. Kipruto comes off a second-place end on the 2023 Boston Marathon, the place he was runner-up to his coaching associate, Evans Chebet. Ethiopia’s Seifu Tura is aware of the Chicago course nicely, having received the race in 2021 and completed as runner-up to Kipruto final fall. If the race turns into a tactical affair, it’s exhausting to look previous these two because the favourites however they don’t fairly have the sub-2:02 velocity to hold with Kiptum early.
American males chase Olympic customary
One other entertaining race throughout the race to observe would be the battle between prime Individuals Galen Rupp, Conner Mantz and Leonard Korir as they intention to realize the 2024 Olympic marathon customary of two:08:10. The one American to interrupt that mark since 2020 is Rupp, who did so on the 2021 Chicago Marathon the place he completed second. At the moment, no American males have met the Olympic qualifying mark for Paris, and the U.S. Marathon Trials are simply 4 months away in February 2024.
There are not any Canadian males within the elite area this yr. Though Canada’s Rory Linkletter will likely be serving to tempo the ladies’s elite area.
For our girls’s elite preview, click on right here.
The best way to watch
The 2023 Chicago Marathon will likely be streamed on FloTrack, starting at 8:30 a.m. E.T. Sunday; you’ll be able to join a FloTrack account right here.
The dwell outcomes of the Chicago Marathon will likely be accessible on the Chicago Marathon app. For outcomes post-race, head right here.
