2022 Chicago Marathon: Preview, schedule, star athletes running, and how to watch

After the Berlin Marathon and London Marathon both produced thrilling 2022 races, including a new men's world record in the former, this Sunday (9 October) the Chicago Marathon will invite some of the best marathon runners in the world to race through the streets of the USA's Windy City.

The Chicago Marathon has been a regular annual fixture since its inception in 1977 and has become one of the most popular marathons in the world, Its fast, flat course offers the opportunity for runners to push the boundaries and five world records have been set on the course, with the last coming in 2019 when Brigid Kosgei set a fastest ever women's time for the 42.2km distance (26.2 miles) of 2:14:04 - a record that stands to this day.

Last year’s winners Ruth Chepngetich and Seifu Tura return to the field on Sunday, with both aiming for a second consecutive win in Chicago. They will be joined by a strong American contingent, equally intent on impressing on home soil.

Stars to watch in the 2022 Chicago Marathon

In the women’s race, Kenya’s reigning champion Chepngetich returns to defend her title. The 2019 World Champion has a personal best of 2:17:08 set in 2019 at the Dubai Marathon. She also came third in the 2020 London Marathon, and is the third-fastest woman of all time over the half marathon distance (1:04:02).

Her closest competitor, compatriot Celestine Chepchirchir, has a fastest time over three full minutes slower than Chepngetich, however her progress this year has seen her lower her own PB by over three minutes. In April’s Seoul Marathon, Chepchirchir ran home in an impressive 2:20:10, and will have her eyes on going under the 2:20 mark in Chicago.

The third in a trio of Kenyans with the fastest times in the women’s race has also shown strong form this year. Vivian Kiplagat posted a personal best just eight seconds slower than Chepchirchir’s when she registered a time of 2:20:18 in Milan last April.

Chicago always attracts some of the top American long-distance runners and this year will be no different. Emily Sisson leads a strong field of US athletes, with the Tokyo 2020 10,000m track athletics Olympian coming to Chicago's streets off of a strong road racing season that saw her break the American half-marathon record in May 2022. Her personal best of 2:23:08 is two minutes faster than that of her compatriot Laura Thweatt, who narrowly missed out on qualification for the last Olympic Games.

The men’s field also contains a returning champion, with Tura headlining a top four made up of only Ethiopian runners. Tura has a personal best time of 2:04:29 putting him 39th on the all-time list. In last year’s race in Chicago, the 25-year-old passed the finish line in 2:06:12.

The fastest of the men’s field on paper is Herpasa Negasa, whose all-time best time of 2:03:40 set in Dubai in 2019, makes him the 18th fastest man ever over the marathon distance. Dawit Wolde (2:04:27) and Asrar Abderehman (2:04:43) are two other Ethiopians capable of challenging for victory.

Of the Americans in the field, Matt McDonald will be looking to build upon the success he had in the Chicago Marathon of 2019, where he set a personal best time of 2:11:10. Joining him on the start line will be a runner who finished just two seconds behind him in that race, with Jerrell Mock finishing on 2:10:37.

How to watch the 2022 Chicago Marathon

Coverage of the event will be available via TV broadcast and digital livestream partners around the world, including Olympic Channel via Olympics.com in some regions.

In the USA, the Chicago Marathon will be broadcast live on NBC 5 Chicago, Telemundo Chicago and TeleXitos from 7-11am CST. Live streams will also be available on nbcchicago.com and telemundochicago.com, and can also be viewed on the NBC 5 and Telemundo Chicago apps, as well as the stations’ Roku and Apple TV channels.

Chicago Marathon 2022 schedule

Sunday 9 October 2022

Race start: 07:30 a.m Central Daylight Time (GMT-5)