Great Britain’s Mo Farah out-sprinted Ethiopia’s Mosinet Geremew in the closing yards to win the 2018 Chicago Marathon. Farah, a four-time Olympic medalist in track, finished in 2:05:11 as the two runners separated from the lead pack in the final two miles of the marathon’s 41st running.
On the women’s side, Kenyan Brigid Kosgei separated from the lead pack at 20 miles and steadily pulled away to win in 2:18:35, the third-fastest time in Chicago history. Kosgei, 24, looks like one of the big up-and-coming talents in the sport after improving upon her second-place finish a year ago.
American Daniel Romanchuk won the men’s wheelchair race in 1:31:34, well off the course record of 1:26:56. Switzerland’s Manuela Schär won the women’s in 1:41:38, short of the course record American Tatyana McFadden set last year of 1:39:15.
Rain spit as runners started in waves completing at 8:35 a.m. Temperatures on the course were in the upper 50s and lower 60s. Of more impact were the north-northeast winds coming off Lake Michigan as runners headed north from the start.
The last time it rained on race day was Oct. 22, 2006. For those wondering, the last Chicago Marathon with snow was Oct. 31, 1993.
Galen Rupp, a two-time Olympic medalist and last year’s Chicago Marathon winner, was unable to defend his title in the men’s field amid the cool and rainy conditions Sunday morning.
Rupp won the 2017 Chicago Marathon in 2:09:20 by beating out Kenya’s Abel Kirui and Bernard Kipyego. Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba led the way for the women’s field a year ago by beating out Kosgei and the United States’ Jordan Hasay, who dropped out of this year’s race.
2018 Chicago Marathon winners
Men’s elite: Mo Farah, Great Britain
Women’s elite: Brigid Kosgei, Kenya
Men’s wheelchair: Daniel Romanchuk, United States
Women’s wheelchair: Manuela Schär, Switzerland
Satchel Price contributed to this story.
