A wheelchair world record at the Chicago Marathon

Switzerland's Catherine Debrunner set a world record in the women's wheelchair race at the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 11. She finished in 1:33:16. According to Reuters and her sponsor Honda, that is about one minute faster than her own previous record, set at the Berlin Marathon in 2023.

Debrunner finished almost nine minutes ahead of Tatyana McFadden of the United States, who was second in 1:42:01. The Chicago Sun-Times said the time was a surprise, because the Chicago course has many turns and is considered technical for wheelchair racers. Debrunner said the weather plays a big role in record attempts and that everything "came together" on the day. It was her third win in Chicago. In the men's wheelchair race, Marcel Hug, also from Switzerland, won his seventh Chicago title in a course record of 1:21:34.

In the men's race, Kenya's Amos Kipruto won in 2:01:09, a personal best. He ran alone over the final part of the course and finished almost two minutes ahead of Ethiopia's Tadese Bikila (2:02:56). Ethiopia's Milkesa Mengesha was third in 2:03:46. Defending champion Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda was level with Kipruto at 30 km but dropped back and finished fourth in 2:04:18. Kipruto had been second in Chicago in 2025.

Ethiopia's Hawi Feysa kept her women's title in 2:13:33, also a personal best. She and Kenya's Sharon Lokedi pulled away from the other runners around 30 km and swapped the lead several times. Feysa moved clear in the final mile. Lokedi, a two-time Boston Marathon winner, was second in 2:14:07, and Kenya's Brigid Kosgei was third in 2:14:55. "It means everything to come here and win again," Feysa told the Sun-Times.