- The 47th edition of the Chicago Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, October 12, 2025.
- The race kicks off at 7:20 a.m. local time / 3:20 p.m. East Africa Time, starting with the wheelchair division.
- Both the start and finish lines are located in Grant Park.
- Defending champion John Korir returns with a bold ambition – to shatter the late Kelvin Kiptum’s legendary sub-2:01 world record as he leads this year’s elite field.
Kenya’s long-distance runner John Korir will be a man on a mission to break Kelvin Kiptum’s sub-2:01 mark as he headlines the 47th edition of the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 12.
Korir returns to the streets of Chicago as the reigning champion, having won gold last year with the second-fastest time in the event’s history, clocking 2:02:44.
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This places him squarely in the shadow of the late Kelvin Kiptum’s legendary 2:00:35 record set in 2023. Korir is determined to shatter that barrier and honor the fallen legend.
Meanwhile, in the women’s category, a new marathon queen is set to be crowned as the defending champion, Kenya’s Ruth Chepng’etich, is serving a doping ban.
This opens the door for a formidable Ethiopian team to seize the gold medal. They will be led by debutant Hawi Feysa, a 2:17:00 runner, alongside her compatriot Megertu Alemu, who finished third in the 2023 edition and is also the reigning Valencia Marathon champion.
Here are the key details you need to know about the Chicago Marathon 2025
What time does the Chicago Marathon kick off and where?
The Chicago Marathon is set to begin at 7:20 a.m. Local Time / 3:20 PM East Africa Time with the wheelchair races, followed by the elite runners at 7:30 a.m. Local Time / 3:30 PM EAT.
The start and finish line is at Grant Park on Sunday, October 12, 2025.
What are the key details to note ahead of the Chicago Marathon?
Korir, 27, aims to join the elite sub-2:01 club which is currently occupied only by the late Kiptum.
His win in Boston earlier this year further cemented his status, as he claimed his fourth career marathon victory and proved last year’s triumph in Chicago was no one-off.
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Meanwhile, in his second appearance over the distance, Uganda’s 23-year-old Jacob Kiplimo also the world record-holder in the half marathon, will be contesting only his second marathon after a runner-up finish in London, where he clocked 2:03:37 earlier this year.
A new champion will be crowned in the women’s race, but several athletes will be returning to Chicago looking to improve on their previous performances.
Where to watch the Chicago Marathon 2025
The Olympic Channel will have live broadcast and digital streaming coverage in selected territories, including Japan, via Olympics.com and the official Olympics app.
In the US, NBC 5 Chicago and Telemundo Chicago will provide live coverage from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. (US Central Time).
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In Mexico, the 2025 Chicago Marathon will be streamed on Peacock and Roku from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (US Central Time), as well as on nbcchicago.com, telemundochicago.com, and the NBC Chicago and Telemundo Chicago apps.
International viewers can watch the race via a variety of global broadcast partners, including Eurosport, Eurosport India, SMG China, FloSports, ESPN Brazil, and ESPN Latin America.
Chicago Marathon top five men’s and women’s leading entries
Women
- Megertu Alemu (ETH) – 2:16:34
- Hawi Feysa (ETH) – 2:17:00
- Bedatu Hirpa (ETH) – 2:18:27
- Haven Hailu Desse (ETH) – 2:19:17
- Mary Ngugi-Cooper (KEN) – 2:20:22
Men
- John Korir (KEN) – 2:02:44
- Timothy Kiplagat (KEN) – 2:02:55
- Amos Kipruto (KEN) – 2:03:13
- CyBrian Kotut (KEN) – 2:03:22
- Bashir Abdi (BEL) – 2:03:36
2025 Chicago Marathon Start Times
All times in Local Time (UTC) and East Africa Time (EAT)
- 7:20 a.m. / 3:20 PM EAT: Marathon Wheelchair Start (Men)
- 7:21 a.m. / 3:21 PM EAT: Marathon Wheelchair Start (Women)
- 7:23 a.m. / 3:23 PM EAT: Marathon Handcycle Start
- 7:30 a.m. / 3:30 PM EAT: Wave 1 Start (Elite & Corrals A, B, C, D, E)
- 8:00 a.m. / 4:00 PM EAT: Wave 2 Start (Corrals F, G, H, J)
- 8:35 a.m. / 4:35 PM EAT: Wave 3 Start (Corrals K, L, M, N)