2022 Chicago Marathon preview: how to stream and who to watch in the Windy City

After two stunning marathons in London and Berlin, the Abbott World Marathon Majors makes its third stop of the fall in the Windy City for the 2022 Chicago Marathon. On Sunday, Oct. 9, defending champions, world champions and Olympians headline the elite fields as runners from across the globe battle for a major title in Chicago. Here is everything you need to know ahead of Sunday’s race.

Last year’s winners, Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya and Seifu Tura of Ethiopia, return to the field, both aiming for a second consecutive win. Although the fields might not be as well known as they were in London and Berlin, we are bound to see some breakout performances. 

The women’s race 

The reigning champion, Chepngetich, returns to defend her title after a DNF at the 2022 World Championships. Chepngetich ran the oddest marathon I’ve seen to date in Eugene, going out through the first 10K at a world record pace, then dropping out due to cramping while leading. 

The 2019 world champion has a personal best of 2:17:08 and holds the Kenyan national record over the half marathon (64:02). On paper, Chepngetich is the favourite, as the fastest woman in the field and with the most experience on this course. Still, her recent run of lacklustre performances could be hard to trust come Sunday.

Ethiopia’s Ruti Aga returns to the marathon scene after two straight marathon DNFs following her 2019 Tokyo Marathon win. Aga had a breakout season in 2018 and 2019, setting her marathon PB of 2:18:34, and will hope to resurrect her previous form on Sunday.

Celestine Chepchirchir of Kenya has the third-fastest seed time in the field, but is still more than three full minutes slower than Chepngetich. However, Chepchirchir, 26, has run a personal best in her last two marathons (2:20:10) and will look to go under the 2:20-mark on Chicago’s flat and flat course.

Vivian Kiplagat is the third Kenyan to watch out for. She posted a personal best time of 2:20:18, taking the win at the Milan Marathon in April, and has her sights set on sub-2:20. 

The U.S. half marathon record holder, Emily Sisson, leads the American contingent. Sisson has had a spectacular season on the roads, claiming USATF titles at 15 km and half-marathon distances. Chicago will be Sisson’s first marathon since she set the American half marathon record of 1:07:11 in May. Her PB is 2:23:08.

Canada will have three elites on the start-line, all looking for personal best finishes. Rachel Hannah and Liza Howard will both look to be under the 2:35 barrier, while Olympian Krista DuChene hopes to land on the masters podium. 

Our pick: Celstine Chepchirchir (KEN) – 2:18:37

The men’s field

2021 champion Tura headlines a stellar men’s field, consisting of mainly East African runners. Tura has the most experience with this course, but he will face some stiff competition against some of his Ethiopian compatriots and Kenya’s Benson Kipruto and Eric Kiptanui. 

Kipruto has been on the rise on the international marathon scene since his 2018 win in Toronto (2:05:13), where he ran the Canadian soil record (which was broken the following year). Although Kipruto may not be the fastest runner in the field, he is a remarkable tactical racer, reaching the podium in all four of his last marathons (including his 2021 Boston Marathon win). If the pace is set early at under 2:05, it could weed Kipruto out, but look for him to make a move between the 30 km and 40 km marks. 

Kiptanui has had several top-five marathon finishes at world majors, but has never won. Chicago’s flat course could work well for the 2:05 marathoner who looks to earn his first title. 

The fastest seed time in the men’s field is Ethiopia’s 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. 

Two other athletes to pay attention to are Uganda’s Stephen Kissa and Conner Mantz of the U.S. Kissa, who trains alongside world record holders Joshua Cheptegei and Jacob Kiplimo, has thrown down some speedy times on the track over 5,000m and 10,000m, but he is relatively new to the marathon scene. Earlier this year, Kissa debuted in 2:04:48 to finish second at the Hamburg Marathon, setting a Ugandan national record in the process. Kissa is known to go out fast, and could make things interesting in the men’s race.

Expectations are high for Mantz, the 2021 NCAA XC champion, who will make his marathon debut here in Chicago at age 25. Mantz hopes to set the fastest debut marathon by an American athlete here in Chicago and is aiming for 2:06 to break Leonard Korir’s record of 2:07:56. Can he pull it off? His recent times say so, but the marathon is a different beast.

Our pick: Benson Kipruto (KEN) – 2:05:27

How to watch

Good news, fans–you can sleep in for this one. The 2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will be live-streamed on the NBC Chicago website from 8 a.m.to 11 a.m. E.T. 

Follow us on Twitter for live updates and up-to-date results on top finishers and top Canadians in Chicago.