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2013 Bank of America Chicago Marathon – Women’s Preview
by John Elliott

photo: Sean Hartnett/Chicago Marathon Last Year’s Top 2 Women Return

For women’s marathoning, two marathons, London and Chicago, have stood up as the races that consistently set out the best and fastest times… London seemingly has more money than it knows what to do with and recruits as many of the best men and women as are available and then provides pacers that push the runners to world record pacing – with the result that many burn out but some achieve greatness. Chicago recruits a strong field for its fast course, provides good pacing, but also runs its women together with the open field…. Unlike the trend at many of the top marathons to start the elite women’s field thirty minutes early so that the dozen or so women are running without men – Chicago starts its women at the same time as the rest of the race. We know that the women prefer this – and we’ll surmise that the extra energy of being in a large race and surrounded by many more runners (the men) running their pace – as well as good pacers – encourages and ensures a faster race. We like it too…

In 2012, the Chicago marathon win came down to a sprint with Atsede Baysa beating Rita Jeptoo by a single second, 2:22:03 to 2:22:04 – both personal bests for the two women. Both Baysa and Jeptoo will be returning to run. For Jeptoo, 2012 was a return to prominence…after winning the 2006 Boston Marathon and running finishing third in 2008, Jeptoo did not run another marathon for 3-1/2 years and did not pop up on most radar screens until the close finish at Chicago in 2012. After the last Chicago, Jeptoo returned to win the 2013 Boston Marathon – we’ll expect that she is continuing to improve her form and is our favorite.

Merima Mohammed, whose 2:23:06 from the 2010 Toronto Waterfront Marathon gives her the third fastest time in the field, has had a good 2013 thus far… nearly setting a course record while winning the wet and windy 2013 Houston Marathon and then finishing in second place at the 2013 Paris Marathon in 2:23:14. Also in the field is Jemima Sumgong, who had a breakthrough run at the 2013 Rotterdam Marathon winning in 2:23:27.

Female Elite Athletes

Athlete	Country	Bib	Personal Best	Chicago
Atsede Baysa (26)	ETH	101	2:22:03, Chicago, 2012	History
Rita Jeptoo (32)	KEN	102	2:22:04, Chicago, 2012	History
Merima Mohammad (21)	ETH	103	2:23:06, Toronto Waterfront Marathon, 2010	History
Jemima Sumgong (28)	KEN	104	2:23:27, Rotterdam, 2013	History
Ehitu Kiros Reda (25)	ETH	105	2:23:39, Dubai, 2013	History
Maria Konovalova (22)	RUS	106	2:23:50, Chicago, 2010	History
Abebech Afework (22)	EHT	107	2:23:59, Rotterdam, 2013	History
Yukiko Akaba (33)	JPN	108	2:24:09, London, 2011	History
Aleksandra Duliba (25)	BLR	109	2:26:08, LA Marathon, 2013	History
Werknesh Kidane (31)	ETH	110	2:26:15, Boston, 2011	History
Chao Yue (22)	CHN	111	2:29:50, Dalian, 2011	History
Clara Santucci (26)	USA	112	2:29:54, Boston, 2011	History
Jingxia Zhang (22)	CHN	113	2:32:37, Chongqing, 2012	History
Stephanie Pezzullo (31)	USA	114	2:32:42, Chicago, 2012	History
Melissa White (32)	USA	115	2:32:55, Chicago, 2009	History
Laurie Knowles (36)	USA	116	2:38:09, Duluth, 2011	History
Amanda Rice (29)	USA	117	2:38:57, Duluth, 2011	History
Gabriela Trana (33)	CRC	118	2:43:17, London Olympics, 2012	History
Marci Gage (26)	USA	119	2:39:18, Sacramento, 2012	History
Gina Slaby	USA	120	2:39:35, Minneapolis-St. Paul, 2011	History
Sopagna Eap (32)	USA	121	2:40:19, Boston Trials, 2008	History

Past Head-To-Head Women’s Athlete Meetings

Women
2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Women’s Marathon – Feb 29, 2020
39	Stephanie Pezzullo (USA )	2:39:18
60	Laurie Knowles (USA)	2:41:57
Frankfurt – Oct 29, 2017
4	Abebech Afework (ETH)	2:26:45
6	Merima Hasen (BRN)	2:27:49
Chicago – Oct 9, 2016
6	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:28:53
11	Laurie Knowles (USA )	2:36:01
Los Angeles Trials – Feb 13, 2016
15	Melissa White (USA)	2:39:57
31	Gina Slaby (USA)	2:43:53
Dubai – Jan 23, 2015
8	Abebech Afework (ETH)	2:23:33
16	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:27:24
Chicago – Oct 12, 2014
1	Rita Sitienei Jeptoo (KEN)	2:24:35
6	Clara Santucci (USA)	2:32:21
9	Melissa White (USA)	2:34:19
Duluth – Jun 21, 2014
5	Marci Gage (USA)	2:35:38
10	Amanda Rice (USA)	2:40:34
Chicago – Oct 13, 2013
1	Rita Sitienei Jeptoo (KEN)	2:19:57
3	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:26:42
3	Maria Konovalova (RUS)	2:22:46
4	Ehitu Kiros (ETH)	2:27:42
4	Aliaksandra Duliba (BLR)	2:23:44
5	Yukiko Akaba (JPN)	2:27:49
5	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:26:42
6	Abebech Afework (ETH)	2:28:38
9	Clara Santucci (USA)	2:31:39
10	Melissa White (USA)	2:32:37
11	Laurie Knowles (USA)	2:36:29
12	Stephanie Pezzullo (USA)	2:38:03
13	Gina Slaby (USA)	2:40:44
14	Gabriela Trana (CRC)	2:41:49
London – Apr 21, 2013
3	Yukiko Akaba (JPN)	2:24:43
4	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:25:14
Dubai – Jan 25, 2013
2	Ehitu Kiros (ETH)	2:23:39
8	Abebech Afework (ETH)	2:27:08
Sacramento – Dec 2, 2012
5	MARCI GAGE (USA)	2:39:18
6	LAURIE KNOWLES (USA )	2:41:58
Chicago – Oct 7, 2012
1	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:22:03
2	Rita Sitienei Jeptoo (KEN)	2:22:04
10	Stephanie Pezzullo (USA )	2:32:42
London – Apr 22, 2012
9	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:25:59
16	Maria Konovalova (RUS)	2:30:29
Houston Trials – Jan 14, 2012
7	Clara Santucci (USA)	2:30:46
13	Melissa White (USA)	2:34:33
46	Laurie Knowles (USA )	2:40:49
50	Amanda Rice (USA)	2:41:06
52	Sopagna Eap (USA)	2:41:24
Frankfurt – Oct 30, 2011
4	Merima Hasen (ETH)	2:24:32
5	Rita Sitienei Jeptoo (KEN)	2:25:44
Daegu World Championships – Aug 27, 2011
5	Yukiko Akaba (JPN)	2:29:35
14	Atsede Bayisa (Ethiopia)	2:31:37
Duluth – Jun 18, 2011
13	Laurie Knowles (USA)	2:38:09
16	Amanda Rice (USA)	2:38:57
Boston – Apr 18, 2011
7	Werknesh Kidane (ETH)	2:26:15
16	Clara Santucci (USA)	2:29:54
London – Apr 17, 2011
5	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:23:50
6	Yukiko Akaba (JPN)	2:24:09
10	Maria Konovalova (RUS)	2:25:18
Dubai – Jan 21, 2011
5	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:25:08
8	Werknesh Kidane (ETH)	2:27:15
Chicago – Oct 10, 2010
1	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:23:40
16	Melissa White (USA)	2:35:02
London – Apr 25, 2010
6	Yukiko Akaba (JPN)	2:24:55
16	Maria Konovalova (RUS)	2:35:21
Berlin World Championships – Aug 23, 2009
27	Atsede Bayisa (Ethiopia)	2:36:04
31	Yukiko Akaba (JPN)	2:37:43
New York City – Nov 2, 2008
4	Rita Sitienei Jeptoo (KEN)	2:27:49
19	Sopagna Eap (USA)	2:43:29
Boston Trials – Apr 20, 2008
14	Melissa White (USA)	2:37:53
22	Sopagna Eap (USA)	2:40:19