bank of america chicago marathon

2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon Elite Runner: Celestine Chepchirchir

Chepchirchir will hit the city's streets Oct. 9

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 13: A general view of competitors runing past the Chicago Theater during the 2019 Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 13, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

The 2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will tally as Celestine Chepchirchir's first U.S. Abbott World Marathon Major, as well as her first time racing in the United States.

Country of Origin: Kenya

Standout Race: 2019 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon

Chepchirchir’s big break happened in 2019, when she smashed the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon’s course record by three minutes, winning the event in 2:26:44. She notched the feat again in 2021, this time breaking the course record at the La Rochelle Marathon by taking the crown in 2:23:38. Most recently at the 2022 Seoul International Marathon, Chepchirchir set her personal best at 2:20:10 to finish fourth.

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Chepchirchir first hit the track at 14 years old, competing at the Nairobi Championships. Since making her marathon debut in 2017, she has collected podium finishes in a series of events: First at the 2017 Nairobi Championships, Second at the 2019 Guangzhou Marathon and 2021 Lagos Marathon, and third at the 2018 Vienna City Marathon and the 2019 Seoul International Marathon.

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