Post-Race Content: Men’s Race Writeup | Women’s Race Writeup 

Pre-Race Content:	Men’s Preview & Lineup | Women’s Preview & Lineup
Event News: Press Releases Page | Other News Sources

On this page:
– Preview/Writeup
– Starter List
– Previous Runner Matchups

2014 Bank of America Chicago Marathon – Men’s Preview
by John Elliott

Photo Credit: Victah Sailer/PhotoRun Eliud Kipchoge – Leading the 2014 Field

The 2013 Marathon – a hard (impossible) act to follow
The 2013 Chicago Marathon will prove a hard act to follow and while Chicago is always a great marathon, our expectations must be lower for 2014. In 2013, Chicago brought in four men who had previously run sub-2:05 and two of those men impressed by running sub-2:04 – new records and the fastest times ever run in North America (excluding the extremely wind-aided 2011 Boston Marathon). Dennis Kimetto’s continually improving times yielded a 2:03:45 finish and suggested he would someday set the world record. Emmanuel Mutai, who was at Chicago after not being invited to New York where he was the defending runner-up, set a personal best 2:03:52. And with those finishes, Chicago had resumed its spot as the fastest in the USA and one of the undisputed top marathons in the world.

For 2014, Chicago’s top two will not return. Instead, the two went to the Berlin Marathon where new world records were set with Kimetto running 2:02:57, the first marathon ever run faster than 2:03; and Mutai running 2:03:13, officially the second fastest marathon ever run. It is no wonder why the two chose to run Berlin, the race responsible for the most world records ever; but it is unfortunate for Chicago to not have its top two finishers – and coincidentally the fastest marathoners in the world – return to defend and battle for the win.

The 2014 Field
Accepting that the top two men from 2013 opted to chase the world record in Berlin, Chicago pulled together the best they could find – and there is promise in the field. Sammy Kitwara, the third finisher from 2013 (2:05:16) will return. And in an indication of the strength of the 2014 field, Kitwara was given bib number 6, suggesting organizers believe there are five others better than Kitwara in the field. At number 1 is Kenenisa Bekele, the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist at 10000M (and 2008 Gold Medal in the 5000M) as well as the holder of 16 world championship titles. Kenenisa has run the marathon distance once, but that was an amazing 2:05:04 win at the 2014 Paris Marathon.

Eliud Kipchoge, with bib number 2, has the fastest time and consistent previous performances. Kipchoge began his marathon career by winning the 2013 Hamburg Marathon in 2:05:30 and followed up as runner-up at the 2013 Berlin Marathon in 2:04:05 and winner of the 2013 Rotterdam Marathon in 2:05:00. With three finishes between 2:04:05 and 2:05:30, Kipchoge has shown that he can be expected to run well and we’ll expect him as winner or runner-up to Bekele. Tadesse Tola, with a 2:04:49 best from the 2013 Dubai Marathon and a bronze medal from the 2013 World Championships race, has shown strong times in his marathons since 2010 and should finish in the top 5. Others in the field to watch are Feyisa Lilesa, Bernard Koech and Dickson Chumba – all of whom we will expect among the leaders.

Beyond those top picks, Chicago is also hosting an unprecedented number of the best Japanese marathoners – and it will be interesting to see how they will compete. And, with one of the fastest courses in North America and generous bonuses for Americans seeking their Olympic Trials qualifying times, we will expect to see a number of American men seeking to better the 2:18:00 qualifying time.

Although it will be hard to produce better results than 2013, we know that Chicago also provides a good show and we will look forward to watching the American finishers and a great competition between Bekele and Kipchoge.

Elite Men’s Lineup: back to top

Male Elite Athletes
Athlete	Country	Bib	Personal Best	Chicago
Kenenisa Bekele (32)	ETH	1	2:05:04, Paris, 2014	History
Eliud Kipchoge (30)	KEN	2	2:04:05, Berlin, 2013	History
Tadese Tola (26)	ETH	3	2:04:49, Dubai, 2013	History
Feyisa Lilesa (24)	ETH	4	2:04:52, Chicago, 2012	History
Bernard Koech (26)	KEN	5	2:04:53, Dubai, 2013	History
Sammy Kitwara (27)	KEN	6	2:05:16, Chicago, 2013	History
Dickson Chumba (27)	KEN	7	2:05:42, Tokyo, 2014	History
Wesley Korir (31)	KEN	8	2:06:13, Chicago, 2012	History
Koji Kobayashi (25)	JPN	9	2:08:51, Tokyo, 2014	History
Satoru Sasaki (28)	JPN	10	2:09:47, Otsu, 2014	History
Takaaki Koda (30)	JPN	11	2:11:08, Tokyo, 2011	History
Ryosuke Fukuyama (34)	JPN	12	2:10:59, Otsu, 2013	History
Nobuaki Takata (37)	JPN	13	2:19:00, Fukuoka, 2009	History
Yu Chiba (25)	JPN	14	2:13:19, Oita, 2013	History
Rui Yonezawa (28)	JPN	15	2:11:59, Otsu, 2014	History
Naoki Okamoto (30)	JPN	16	2:12:31, Otsu, 2012	History
Bobby Curtis (29)	USA	17	2:13:24, Fukuoka, 2013	History
Patrick Rizzo (31)	USA	18	2:13:42, 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Marathon, 2012	History
Craig Leon (30)	USA	19	2:13:52, Chicago, 2013	History
Carlos Trujillo (29)	USA	20	2:14:21, Chicago, 2012	History
Mike Morgan (34)	USA	21	2:14:22, 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Marathon, 2012	History
Luke Humphrey (33)	USA	22	2:14:39, San Diego, 2011	History
Christo Landry (28)	USA	23	2:14:44, Minneapolis-St. Paul, 2013	History
Mario Macias (33)	USA	24	2:15:56, Sacramento, 2011	History
Jameson Mora (30)	USA	25	2:15:44, Duluth, 2013	History
Miguel Almachi (30)	ECU	26	2:15:02, Santiago, 2012	History
Tim Young (23)	USA	27	2:15:14, Houston, 2014	History
Fidele Jefferson (36)	USA	28	2:15:18, Chicago, 2013	History
Gabe Proctor (24)	USA	30	2:16:17, Los Angeles, 2014	History
Stephen Pifer (29)	USA	31	2:18:19, Chicago, 2012	History
Jesse Davis (32)	USA	32	2:18:26, Duluth, 2014	History
Daniel Kremske (25)	USA	33	2:18:52, Chicago, 2013	History
Jeremy Freed (27)	USA	34	Debut	History
Jake Riley (26)	USA	35	Debut	History
Matt Llano (26)	USA	36	Debut	History
Brendan Gregg (25)	USA	37	Debut	History
Mike Popejoy (25)	USA	38	Debut	History
Ryan Kienzle (28)	USA	39	2:27:58, Canton City, 2014	History
Leonardo Tenepaguay	ECU	40	2:22:42, Santiago, 2012	History
Bayron Piedra (32)	ECU	41	Debut	History
Lani Rutto	KEN	43	2:10:01, Frankfurt, 2013	History
Chris Erichsen (28)	USA		2:16:31, Duluth, 2012	History

Past Head-To-Head Men’s Athlete Meetings back to top

Men
Sacramento – Dec 4, 2022
10	Matt Llano (USA)	2:14:56
38	Brendan Gregg (USA)	2:17:21
London – Oct 2, 2022
5	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	2:05:53
13	Naoki OKAMOTO (JPN)	2:15:05
2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Marathon – Feb 29, 2020
14	Brendan Gregg (USA)	2:13:26
28	Daniel Kremske (USA)	2:16:17
38	Matt Llano (USA)	2:17:21
41	Craig Leon (USA)	2:17:53
Oita – Feb 2, 2020
10	Koji Kobayashi (JPN)	2:09:55
14	Satoru Sasaki (JPN)	2:10:25
Indianapolis Monumental Marathon – Nov 9, 2019
21	Jesse Davis (USA)	2:24:15
32	Luke Humphrey (USA)	2:27:18
Chicago – Oct 13, 2019
7	Dickson Chumba (KEN)	2:09:11
16	Brendan Gregg (USA)	2:11:38
25	Daniel Kremske (USA)	2:14:53
Berlin – Sep 29, 2019
1	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	2:01:41
14	Matt Llano (USA)	2:11:14
Austin – Feb 17, 2019
2	Jameson Mora (USA)	2:20:21
6	Patrick Rizzo (USA)	2:27:34
Sacramento – Dec 2, 2018
2	Matt Llano (USA)	2:13:00
5	Brendan Gregg (USA)	2:13:28
64	Luke Humphrey (USA)	2:20:22
London – Apr 22, 2018
1	Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)	2:04:17
6	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	2:08:53
Tokyo – Feb 25, 2018
1	Dickson Chumba (KEN)	2:05:30
6	Feyisa Lilesa (ETH)	2:07:30
Sacramento – Dec 3, 2017
7	Craig Leon (USA)	2:13:41
9	Tim Young (USA)	2:14:14
21	Patrick Rizzo (USA)	2:17:27
22	Jameson Mora (USA)	2:17:33
Valencia – Nov 19, 2017
1	Sammy Kirop Kitwara (KEN)	2:05:15
9	Bernard Koech (KEN)	2:08:32
London – Apr 23, 2017
2	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	2:05:57
12	Feyisa LILESA (ETH)	2:14:12
Boston – Apr 17, 2017
15	Wesley Korir (KEN)	2:18:14
24	Luke Humphrey (USA)	2:23:12
30	Mike Morgan (USA)	2:25:02
New York City – Nov 6, 2016
11	CRAIG LEON (USA)	2:17:14
13	CHRISTO LANDRY (USA)	2:19:14
17	Matt Llano (USA)	2:20:15
Chicago – Oct 9, 2016
2	Dickson Chumba (KEN)	2:11:26
11	Tim Young (USA)	2:16:43
Rio de Janeiro Olympics – Aug 21, 2016
1	Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)	2:08:44
2	Feyisa Lilesa (ETH)	2:09:54
16	Satoru SASAKI (JPN)	2:13:57
18	Bayron PIEDRA (ECU)	2:14:12
85	Miguel Angel ALMACHI (ECU)	2:23:00
London – Apr 24, 2016
1	Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)	2:03:05
3	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	2:06:36
Boston – Apr 18, 2016
4	Wesley Korir (KEN)	2:14:05
6	Sammy Kirop Kitwara (KEN )	2:16:43
Tokyo – Feb 28, 2016
1	Feyisa Lilesa (ETH)	2:06:56
3	Dickson Chumba (KEN)	2:07:34
Los Angeles Trials – Feb 13, 2016
6	Matt Llano (USA)	2:15:16
22	Mike Morgan (USA)	2:20:59
29	Craig Leon (USA )	2:22:47
Fukuoka – Dec 6, 2015
3	Satoru Sasaki (JPN)	2:08:56
4	Bernard Koech (KEN)	2:09:43
Chicago – Oct 11, 2015
1	Dickson Chumba (KEN)	2:09:25
2	Sammy Kirop Kitwara (KEN)	2:09:50
6	Wesley Korir (KEN)	2:10:39
Berlin – Sep 27, 2015
1	Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)	2:04:00
3	Feyisa Lilesa (ETH)	2:06:57
13	Matt Llano (USA)	2:12:28
Pan American Games Marathon – Men’s – Jul 25, 2015
5	Craig LEON (USA)	2:19:26
6	Tim YOUNG (USA)	2:19:34
London – Apr 26, 2015
1	Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)	2:04:42
6	Sammy Kirop Kitwara (KEN)	2:07:43
Rotterdam – Apr 12, 2015
3	Bernard Koech (KEN)	2:08:02
5	Feyisa Lilesa (ETH)	2:09:55
Los Angeles – Mar 15, 2015
2	LANI RUTTO (KEN)	2:12:42
6	MATT LLANO (USA)	2:16:13
7	MIKE MORGAN (USA)	2:16:56
13	PATRICK RIZZO (USA)	2:21:54
19	LUKE HUMPHREY (USA)	2:25:43
Houston – Jan 18, 2015
9	Craig Leon (USA)	2:14:43
16	Jesse Davis (USA)	2:22:37
Sacramento – Dec 7, 2014
6	Jeremy Freed (USA)	2:15:50
9	Jameson Mora (USA)	2:16:40
26	Mario Macias (USA)	2:22:14
Chicago – Oct 12, 2014
1	Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)	2:04:11
2	Sammy Kirop Kitwara (KEN)	2:04:28
3	Dickson Chumba (KEN)	2:04:32
4	Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)	2:05:51
5	Bernard Koech (KEN)	2:08:30
7	Lani Rutto (KEN)	2:10:42
8	Wesley Korir (KEN)	2:11:09
9	Bobby Curtis (USA)	2:11:20
10	Koji Kobayashi (JPN)	2:11:43
11	Jake Riley (USA)	2:13:16
12	Gabe Proctor (USA)	2:13:45
13	Christo Landry (USA)	2:14:30
14	Tim Young (USA)	2:14:40
15	Mike Morgan (USA)	2:14:42
16	Naoki Okamoto (JPN)	2:15:19
17	Satoru Sasaki (JPN)	2:15:25
18	Ryosuke Fukuyama (JPN)	2:15:33
19	Craig Leon (USA)	2:16:00
20	Carlos Trujillo (USA )	2:16:49
21	Rui Yonezawa (JPN)	2:17:30
24	Matt Llano (USA)	2:17:43
25	Patrick Rizzo (USA)	2:18:04
26	Jesse Davis (USA)	2:18:13
27	Luke Humphrey (USA)	2:18:19
28	Brendan Gregg (USA)	2:18:30
32	Jameson Mora (USA)	2:20:38
37	Mario Macias (USA)	2:22:47
49	Leonardo Tenepaguay (ECU)	2:25:34
51	Nobuaki Takata (JPN)	2:25:39
57	Ryan Kienzle (USA)	2:26:38
Rotterdam – Apr 13, 2014
1	Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)	2:05:00
2	Bernard Koech (KEN)	2:06:08
Virginia Beach – Mar 16, 2014
2	Mario MacIas (USA)	2:21:42
3	Chris Erichsen (USA)	2:22:33
Los Angeles – Mar 9, 2014
2	Lani Rutto (KEN)	2:10:49
6	Gabe Proctor (USA)	2:16:17
Otsu – Mar 2, 2014
2	Satoru Sasaki (JPN)	2:09:47
6	Rui Yonezawa (JPN)	2:11:59
Tokyo – Feb 23, 2014
1	Dickson Chumba (KEN)	2:05:42
2	Tadesse Tola (ETH)	2:05:57
3	Sammy Kirop Kitwara (KEN)	2:06:30
9	Koji Kobayashi (JPN)	2:08:51
Houston – Jan 19, 2014
10	Tim Young (USA)	2:15:14
11	Patrick Rizzo (USA)	2:15:53
13	Luke Humphrey (USA)	2:16:34
Frankfurt – Oct 27, 2013
8	Lani Rutto (KEN)	2:10:01
Amsterdam – Oct 20, 2013
3	Bernard Koech (KEN)	2:06:29
8	Dickson Chumba (KEN)	2:10:15
Chicago – Oct 13, 2013
3	Sammy Kirop Kitwara (KEN)	2:05:16
14	Craig Leon (USA)	2:13:52
16	Mike Morgan (USA)	2:15:01
17	Fidele Jefferson (USA)	2:15:18
Minneapolis-St. Paul – Oct 6, 2013
5	CHRISTO LANDRY (USA)	2:14:44
17	PATRICK RIZZO (USA)	2:20:08
Moscow World Championships – Aug 17, 2013
3	Tadesse Tola (ETH)	2:10:23
37	Carlos Trujillo (USA )	2:23:13
London – Apr 21, 2013
4	Feyisa Lilesa (ETH)	2:07:46
12	Patrick RIZZO (USA)	2:16:05
Boston – Apr 15, 2013
5	Wesley Korir (KEN)	2:12:30
7	Dickson Chumba (KEN)	2:14:08
10	Craig Leon (USA)	2:14:38
19	Carlos Trujillo (USA )	2:19:24
Dubai – Jan 25, 2013
3	Tadesse Tola (ETH)	2:04:49
5	Bernard Koech (KEN)	2:04:53
Eindhoven – Oct 14, 2012
1	Dickson Chumba (KEN)	2:05:46
4	Tadesse Tola (ETH)	2:08:01
Chicago – Oct 7, 2012
2	Feyisa Lilesa (ETH)	2:04:52
4	Sammy Kirop Kitwara (KEN)	2:05:54
5	Wesley Korir (KEN)	2:06:13
14	Koji Kobayashi (JPN )	2:10:40
18	Carlos Trujillo (USA )	2:14:21
20	Craig Leon (USA )	2:15:38
21	Patrick Rizzo (USA)	2:15:44
23	Stephen Pifer (USA)	2:18:19
35	Fidele Jefferson (USA)	2:23:15
Houston Trials – Jan 14, 2012
13	Patrick Rizzo (USA)	2:13:42
17	Mike Morgan (USA)	2:14:22
26	Craig Leon (USA )	2:15:42
40	Chris Erichsen (USA)	2:17:52
68	Jesse Davis (USA)	2:22:24
Chicago – Oct 9, 2011
2	Wesley Korir (KEN)	2:06:15
49	Jameson Mora (USA)	2:27:51
Daegu World Championships – Sep 4, 2011
3	Feyisa Lilesa (EHT)	2:10:32
31	Mike Morgan (USA)	2:18:30
Chicago – Oct 10, 2010
3	Feyisa Lilesa (ETH)	2:08:10
4	Wesley Korir (KEN)	2:08:44
11	Mike Morgan (USA)	2:14:55
12	Luke Humphrey (USA)	2:15:49
13	Patrick Rizzo (USA)	2:16:12
16	Tim Young (USA)	2:19:01
19	Jesse Davis (USA)	2:19:53
Chicago – Oct 11, 2009
6	Wesley Korir (KEN )	2:10:38
10	Patrick Rizzo (USA)	2:15:48
Chicago – Oct 12, 2008
4	Wesley Korir (KEN )	2:13:53
23	Jesse Davis (USA)	2:27:26
New York City Trials – Nov 3, 2007
12	Mike Morgan (USA)	2:16:28
26	Patrick Rizzo (USA)	2:18:30
43	Luke Humphrey (USA)	2:20:34
Chicago – Oct 22, 2006
15	Mike Morgan (USA)	2:15:11
18	Luke Humphrey (USA)	2:15:22