Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo delivered a commanding performance to win the 2025 Chicago Marathon, producing one of the finest displays ever seen on the course. The world half-marathon record holder set off at an electrifying pace, staying well inside world-record territory for more than 22 miles before eventually crossing the line in 2:02:23, the seventh-fastest time in marathon history.
Kiplimo’s relentless tempo shattered the challenge of Kenya’s Amos Kipruto, who finished a distant second, more than a minute and a half behind. For much of the race, Kiplimo flirted with the late Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35, only slowing slightly in the final stretch as fatigue set in.
This victory marks a major milestone for Kiplimo, who was competing in just his second career marathon following a runner-up finish in London earlier this year. Already a global force on the track and over the half marathon, the 24-year-old has now firmly established himself among the world’s elite marathoners — and placed Uganda on the map in the realm of long-distance road racing.
