Josh George competed in his first Chicago Marathon in 2002 as an 18-year-old, finishing fourth among a talented field that included U of I coach Adam Bleakney. He has finished in the top five of the race 11 times (and he has never finished outside of the top seven), and he is a four-time Chicago Marathon champion.

Name: Josh George

Country of Origin: U.S.A.

Standout Race: In 2014, George was chased to the finish line by 10 men in a near photo finish. George missed defending his 2014 title by two seconds, following Marcel Hug and Kurt Fearnley to the line in 2016. He did not race in Chicago in 2017, but he returned last year to finish seventh. His 2019 season includes a 16th place finish in Boston, a 23rd place finish in London and a third place finish at the Los Angeles Marathon.

More About Josh George: George punctured a lung and became paralyzed below the chest at age 4 when he plummeted 12 stories after falling out a window. George has not let his accident slow him down, attending four consecutive Paralympic Games and taking home five medals. George also possesses six gold medals from three World Championships, including his most recent gold in the 2015 Men's Marathon.