Marcel Hug, known as the "silver bullet," defended his championship status at the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon and did it in record-breaking fashion once again.
Hug finished the men's wheelchair race with an unofficial course record, topping the record he set on the course in 2022.
"Oh, it's unbelievable. I was feeling great in the morning. I tried to break the record, but by so much, it's crazy. Incredible," Hug said at the finish line.
Hug, of Switzerland, entered the race as one of the most dominant athletes and a top contender to medal after he beat the course record of 1:26:56 by finishing the 2022 race in 1:25:20. This year, he sailed to a victory in the men's wheelchair race with an unofficial time of 1:22:37.
He defeated former champion Daniel Romanchuk, one of his biggest rivals on the course. Hug and Romanchuk have battled it out for years in Chicago.
Hug also won the Chicago Marathon in 2016 and 2017.
Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle
"I was just trying to go fast from the beginning because I was trying to break the course record, so I was taking the lead and then didn't look back. But after some ways I looked back and nobody there. And so, yeah, I just tried to keep up my pace."
Check back for more on this developing story.
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