By Chris Chavez
July 18, 2024
Race organizers for the 2024 Chicago Marathon have announced the elite fields for this year’s race on Oct. 13.
The field features six women who have run under 2:18 and four men who have run under 2:05.
Here’s what you need to know:
– 2021 and 2022 Chicago Marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich holds the fastest personal best in the field with her 2:14:18 from her 2022 victory. She ran 2:15:37 to finish second to Sifan Hassan in last year’s race. Hassan is not back to defend her title since she will compete at the Paris Olympics. Hassan has yet to announce what events she will contest between the 1500, 5000m, 10,000m and marathon.
![Ruth Chepngetich](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/bpfwm1du/production/bf38bfbf59bdc7e54f1ee1e8272192d58a41db54-2400x1260.png?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&w=1200)
Kevin Morris / @KevMoFoto
– Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede is the fastest marathoner in the world this year with her 2:15:55 from her win at the Tokyo Marathon in March. She was a controversial snub from the Ethiopian Olympic marathon team.
– The top Americans in the field include Keira D’Amato (2:19:12 PB, No. 2 on the U.S. all-time list) and Betsy Saina (2:19:17 PB, No. 3 on the U.S. all-time list). D’Amato recently announced that she has started working with coach Ed Eyestone and has moved to Utah to train for Chicago. Saina has been training in Kenya.
– Last year in Chicago, Emma Bates was vocal about possibly attacking Emily Sisson’s American record. However, she tore her plantar fascia during the race and still finished in 2:25:04 for 13th place. The injury later caused her to scratch from the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. She returned to racing at the Boston Marathon in April and was the top American in 2:27:14.
– On the men’s side, Amos Kipruto holds the fastest personal best with a 2:03:13 from the 2022 Tokyo Marathon. He has not finished a marathon since his victory at the 2022 London Marathon.
– Kelvin Kiptum, last year’s champion and world record holder, died along with his coach in a car crash in Kenya in February.
– 25-year-old Vincent Ngetich of Kenya has taken well to the marathon with a runner-up finish at the Berlin Marathon last fall in 2:03:13 and a third place finish in March’s Tokyo Marathon in 2:04:18. He is looking for his first Major Marathon victory.
– The fastest American in the field is Zach Panning, who finished sixth at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and has a personal best of 2:09:28. He will be joined by fellow sub-2:10 marathoners Brian Shrader and C.J. Albertson.
– Daniel Ebenyo, the No. 1-ranked 10,000m runner in the world and a silver medalist at last summer’s World Championships in Budapest, will be making his marathon debut after being left off the Kenyan Olympic team. He fell during the Kenyan 10,000m trials selection race at the Prefontaine Classic in May. Despite having one discretionary spot for selectors, Athletics Kenya chose to send the top three finishers from the race to the Summer Games in Paris.
Here is the full women’s elite field:
- Ruth Chepngetich, 2:14:18
- Sutume Kebede, 2:15:55
- Joyciline Jepkosgei, 2:16:24
- Degitu Azimeraw, 2:17:58
- Ashete Bekere Dido, 2:17:58
- Hiwot Gebrekidan, 2:17:59
- Irine Cheptai, 2:18:22
- Keira D'Amato, 2:19:12
- Betsy Saina, 2:19:17
- Dorcas Tuitoek, 2:20:02
- Mary Ngugi-Cooper, 2:20:22
- Sara Hall, 2:20:32
- Emma Bates, 2:22:10
- Buze Diriba, 2:23:11
- Sara Vaughn, 2:23:24
- Susanna Sullivan, 2:24:27
- Gabi Rooker, 2:24:35
- Lindsay Flanagan, 2:24:43
- Nell Rojas, 2:24:51
- Stacey Ndiwa, 2:25:29
- Laura Thweatt, 2:25:38
- Lauren Hagans, 2:25:56
- Annie Frisbie, 2:26:18
- Jackie Gaughan, 2:27:08
- Dominique Scott, 2:27:31
- Diane Nukuri, 2:27:50
- Makena Morley, 2:30:25
- Anne Marie Blaney, 2:30:43
- Andrea Pomaranski, 2:31:06
- Amy Davis-Green, 2:33:09
- Aubrey Frentheway, Debut
Here is the full men’s elite field:
- Amos Kipruto, 2:03:13
- Vincent Ngetich, 2:03:13
- Dawit Wolde, 2:03:48
- Amdework Walelegn, 2:04:50
- John Korir, 2:05:01
- Huseydin Mohamed Esa, 2:05:05
- Jemal Yimer, 2:06:08
- Tatsuya Maruyama, 2:07:50
- Yuichi Yasui, 2:08:48
- Jorge Castelblanco, 2:09:24
- Zach Panning, 2:09:28
- Brian Shrader, 2:09:46
- CJ Albertson, 2:09:53
- Tomoki Yoshioka, 2:10:03
- Reed Fischer, 2:10:34
- Nathan Martin, 2:10:45
- Colin Mickow, 2:11:22
- Kevin Salvano, 2:11:26
- Jacob Thomson, 2:11:40
- Turner Wiley, 2:11:59
- JP Flavin, 2:13:27
- Charlie Sweeney, 2:13:41
- Ben Kendell, 2:15:49
- Phil Migas, 2:15:53
- Daniel Ebenyo, Debut
- Alex Maier, Debut
- Isai Rodriguez, Debut
![Chris Chavez](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/bpfwm1du/production/b995e65d45ca40ff5dfb5596b98be0f77f0c5731-2400x3865.jpg?auto=format&fit=max&q=75&rect=0,0,2400,2217&w=1200)
Chris Chavez
Chris Chavez launched CITIUS MAG in 2016 as a passion project while working full-time for Sports Illustrated. He covered the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and grew his humble blog into a multi-pronged media company. He completed all six World Marathon Majors and is an aspiring sub-five-minute miler.