And the winners of the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon are...
Kelvin Kiptum
Kelvin Kiptum won the annual iconic race in downtown Chicago Sunday, breaking a world record with his stunning finish and sparking a contagious finish line celebration.
The Kenyan runner made a massive splash in his U.S. marathon debut in Chicago and finished with an official time of 2:00:35, topping the world record of 2:01:09, set by Eliud Kipchoge.
"A world record was not in my mind today... but I knew one day, one time I would be a world record holder," Kiptum said at the finish line, adding that he is "very happy."
It marks the first time since 1999 that the men's world record has been set in Chicago.
"It just brings it all home," Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski said. "I told everybody the first time I saw Kelvin he was special ... he was absolutely magnificent. One of the great runs I've seen."
But Kiptum wasn't alone in his record-breaking race victory.
Every Chicago Marathon division saw a record-breaking winner in the 2023 race.
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Sifan Hassan
Sifan Hassan continued her explosive entry into marathon running by setting a course record and finishing with the second-fastest female marathon time ever recorded.
Hassan outpaced two-time defending champion Ruth Chepngetich to take the lead in the women's field, stunning a runner who came achingly-close to setting a world record during her 2022 Chicago Marathon win.
Hassan's victory would have broken the world record if not for an historic race from Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa in the Berlin Marathon just weeks earlier.
Breaking down in tears as she crossed the finish, Hassan finished her debut in the U.S. and Chicago still making history.
"Just so grateful. I'm so happy," Hassan said at the finish line.
Marcel Hug
Marcel Hug, known as the "silver bullet," broke his own course record with his 2023 Chicago Marathon finish.
Hug, of Switzerland, finished with an official time of 1:22:37, breaking the course record he set in 2022, when he finished in 1:26:56.
"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 finished well ahead of his competition, including another former champion Daniel Romanchuk, one of his biggest rivals on the course.
"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."
Catherine Debrunner
Catherine Debrunner won her first Bank of America Chicago Marathon wheelchair race Sunday by also setting a course record in what became a nail-biting sprint to the finish.
Debrunner took a late lead over defending champion and fierce competitor Susannah Scaroni as the two battled it out until the very last moment at the finish line.
Her 2023 win came just seconds ahead of Scaroni as the two battled it out on the course for the entire race.
"I had a really great race together with Susannah Scaroni," Debrunner said at the finish line. "She pushed so hard and yeah, we did it together, like in Berlin also. And then she attacked really hard at the last hill."
The 2023 Chicago Marathon is just the fourth marathon of Debrunner's career. She finished with an official time of 1:38:44, breaking the previous course record of 1:39:15 in the women's wheelchair race.
"Yeah, it was an amazing race. It's the first time I am in Chicago," Debrunner said. "And I must say, I really love the city. It's beautiful. The lake with the skyline."
Debrunner had never competed in a marathon before stunning the field in the 2022 Berlin Marathon, capturing the top spot with a time of 1:36:47. She also won the London Marathon a week later.
