Carey Pinkowski | https://cemevent.com/bios/carey-pinkowski/
Bank of America announced that Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) made history by becoming the first man to complete a sub-2:01 marathon in an officially sanctioned competition, setting a world record time of 2:00:35 at the 45th Bank of America Chicago Marathon. In addition to Kiptum's achievement, Sifan Hassan (NED) established a new women’s course record at 2:13:44, Marcel Hug (SUI) surpassed his own previous record in the men’s wheelchair race with a time of 1:22:37, and Catherine Debrunner (SUI) secured a new women’s wheelchair course record of 1:38:44 according to a press release.
Bank of America announced, "As he made the final turn onto Columbus Drive, Kiptum began to sprint as he pumped up the already-roaring crowd."
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is an event that draws participants from across the globe, representing over 100 countries and all 50 states. This diverse gathering includes elite professional athletes, top regional and Masters runners, seasoned marathon veterans, first-time participants, and those running for charitable causes according to Bank of America.
“It was time to bring it back to Chicago,” said Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski according to a press release. “This is a great sporting community. There is a great energy and a great crowd, and the weather was pretty near perfect.”
Bank of America revealed that Kelvin Kiptum broke the sixth world record established in the history of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. The previous record in the men's race dates back to 1999 by Khalid Khannouchi. The race's 2022 champion, Benson Kipruto, secured the second position with a time of 2:04:02, followed by Bashir Abdi, who took third place in 2:04:32 according to a press release.
The 45th Bank of America Chicago Marathon witnessed a record-breaking turnout of over 48,500 participants, culminating in a historic moment with the millionth finisher, Allison Naval. The 46th running of the event is scheduled for October 13, 2024, with applications opening on October 17 according to a press release.