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

photo: Sean Hartnett/Chicago Marathon Rita Jeptoo – The 2013 Champion Returns

All About Rita Jeptoo?
The 2014 Chicago Marathon will feature three women who have broken 2:20 in the marathon – and after that the field falls off. But of those three women, one stands out above the rest: Rita Jeptoo. Jeptoo won the Boston Marathon in 2006 (2:23:38) and finished third at Boston in 2008 before disappearing from the sport, sort of a one-hit wonder. In fact, Jeptoo had stopped running to start a family. Jeptoo returned to the marathon in 2011 with some unimpressive results until her runner-up finish and new personal best at the 2012 Chicago Marathon (2:22:04). Since that return, Jeptoo has been on a roll, winning her next three marathons with improving times: 2013 Boston Marathon (1st in 2:26:25), 2013 Chicago Marathon (1st in 2:19:57), 2014 Boston Marathon (1st in course record 2:18:57)… As Jeptoo is coming into the 2014 Chicago Marathon as the defending champion, as winner of her prior three marathons, with the fastest and most recent personal best in the field – we don’t know how anyone could not hold her as the favorite in the field. Also as an incentive for Jeptoo, if she wins the Chicago Marathon she will win the World Marathon Majors Series providing a $500,000 bonus. If she finishes second, she is also nearly guaranteed the win of the series – the Chicago Marathon should be a good day for Jeptoo.

Beyond Jeptoo, two other women stand above the rest: Florence Kiplagat and Mare Dibaba, both of whom have run sub 2:20. Kiplagat ran a strong 2:20:24 runner-up finish earlier in 2014 at the London Marathon, a good start to the year and suggesting she should run well at Chicago, especially when combined with her history as two-time winner at the Berlin Marathon. Mare Dibabe ran third behind Jeptoo at the 2014 Boston Marathon in 2:20:35, a strong finish showing she is well matched to Kiplagat.

Wrapping up the relatively small elite women’s field are two women with personal bests two minutes off the the times of the top three. Birhane Dibaba ran a personal best 2:22:30 to finish as runner-up at the 2014 Tokyo, a strong time on a slower course. Atsede Bayisa was the winner of the 2012 Chicago Marathon in 2:22:03 (just ahead of Jeptoo) – and with the recent (April 2014) banning of Liliya Shobukhova for doping and the annullment of all of her finishes back to 2009, Bayisa is also renamed the winner of the 2010 Chicago Marathon. But Bayisa’s best times are slower than the others and date back to 2012 – expect her to round out the top five. One other leading woman, Jemima Sumgong, was a late drop from the field as she will opt to run the New York City Marathon instead.

Americans!
Although they will not feature among the leaders or be evident in the leading pack, many of America’s best women will be running the Chicago Marathon to run a fast marathon and either achieve their Olympic Trials Qualifying Times or better those times. With a fast course, good prize money for the top five Americans ($10K/$7.5K/$5K/$2.5K/$1K), and an additional $2,500 for any woman running better than the Trials Qualifying time of 2:43 – Chicago will attract many of the best Americans and we will enjoy watching this part of the competition.

Elite Women’s Lineup: back to top

Female Elite Athletes
Athlete	Country	Bib	Personal Best	Chicago
Rita Jeptoo (33)	KEN	101	2:18:57, Boston, 2014	History
Florence Kiplagat (27)	KEN	102	2:19:44, Berlin, 2011	History
Mare Dibaba (24)	ETH	103	2:19:52, Dubai, 2012	History
Atsede Baysa (27)	ETH	104	2:22:03, Chicago, 2012	History
Jemima Jelagat Sumgong (29)	KEN	105	2:20:41, Boston, 2014	History
Birhane Dibaba (29)	ETH	106	2:22:30, Tokyo, 2014	History
Amy Hastings (30)	USA	107	2:27:03, Los Angeles, 2011	History
Clara Santucci (27)	USA	108	2:29:54, Boston, 2011	History
Lisa Uhl (27)	USA	109	Debut	History
Lindsey Scherf (28)	USA	110	Debut	History
Melissa White (33)	USA	111	2:32:37, Chicago, 2013	History
Wendy Thomas (35)	USA	112	2:32:49, Boston, 2014	History
Becky Wade (25)	USA	113	2:30:41, Sacramento, 2013	History
Lauren Jimison (24)	USA	114	2:35:17, Duluth, 2014	History
Laura Portis (27)	USA	115	2:33:46, Minneapolis-St. Paul, 2013	History
Sarah Crouch (25)	USA	116	2:44:25, New York City, 2011	History
Devon Yanko (32)	USA	117	2:39:37, Napa Valley, 2012	History
Yuri Yoshizumi	JPN	118	2:37:54, Sapporo, 2013	History
Sarah Cummings (25)	USA	120	2:34:57, Boston, 2014	History
Heidi Greenwood (29)	USA	121	2:42:08, Columbus, 2013	History
Deanna Ardrey (31)	USA	122	2:43:12, Chicago, 2011	History
Whitney Bevins-Lazzara	USA	123	2:41:19, Minneapolis-St. Paul, 2013	History
Tina Muir (26)	GBR	124	2:49:12, Philadelphia, 2013	History
Heather Tanner (36)	USA	125	2:42:19, Houston, 2014	History
Shaluinn Fullove (36)	USA	126	2:43:33, Sacramento, 2013	History
Gelete Burka (28)	ETH	127	2:26:03, Houston, 2014	History
Tera Moody (33)	USA		2:30:53, Chicago, 2010	History
Nicole Feest (31)	USA		2:41:09, Minneapolis-St. Paul, 2013	History

Past Head-To-Head Women’s Athlete Meetings 

Women
Boston – Oct 11, 2021
8	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:28:04
14	Mare Dibaba (Ethiopia)	2:32:29
London – Apr 28, 2019
9	Birhane Dibaba (ETH)	2:25:04
30	Devon Yanko (USA)	2:42:04
Chicago – Oct 7, 2018
4	Florence Kiplagat (KEN)	2:26:08
6	Sarah Crouch (USA)	2:32:37
London – Apr 22, 2018
7	Mare Dibaba (ETH)	2:27:45
11	Becky Wade (USA)	2:35:01
Chicago – Oct 8, 2017
10	Becky Wade (USA)	2:35:46
13	Sarah Crouch (USA)	2:38:27
London World Championships – Aug 6, 2017
8	Mare Dibaba (ETH)	2:28:49
10	Birhane Dibaba (ETH)	2:29:01
Houston – Jan 15, 2017
3	Becky Wade (USA)	2:35:57
5	Sarah Crouch (USA)	2:38:37
Sacramento – Dec 4, 2016
3	Lauren Jimison (USA)	2:33:21
5	Tina Muir (GBR)	2:36:39
Chicago – Oct 9, 2016
1	Florence Kiplagat (KEN)	2:21:32
6	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:28:53
9	Sarah Crouch (USA)	2:33:48
Duluth – Jun 18, 2016
3	Clara Santucci (USA)	2:34:55
4	Lauren Jimison (USA)	2:35:30
7	Sarah Cummings (USA)	2:36:58
London – Apr 24, 2016
3	Florence Kiplagat (KEN)	2:23:39
6	Mare Dibaba (ETH)	2:24:09
19	Tina Muir (GBR)	2:37:35
Boston – Apr 18, 2016
1	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:29:19
11	Sarah Crouch (USA)	2:37:36
Los Angeles Trials – Feb 13, 2016
15	Melissa White (USA)	2:39:57
17	Wendy Thomas (USA)	2:40:39
Chicago – Oct 11, 2015
1	Florence Kiplagat (KEN)	2:23:33
3	Birhane Dibaba (ETH)	2:24:24
12	Sarah Crouch (USA)	2:32:51
16	Tera Moody (USA)	2:39:32
London – Apr 26, 2015
5	Florence Kiplagat (KEN)	2:24:15
27	Tina Muir (GBR)	2:41:19
Los Angeles – Mar 15, 2015
8	Becky Wade (USA)	2:37:30
10	LAUREN JIMISON (USA)	2:39:16
12	SARAH CUMMINGS (USA)	2:42:20
Chicago – Oct 12, 2014
1	Rita Sitienei Jeptoo (KEN)	2:24:35
1	Mare Dibaba (ETH)	2:25:37
2	Florence Kiplagat (KEN)	2:25:57
3	Florence Kiplagat (KEN)	2:25:57
3	Birhane Dibaba (ETH)	2:27:02
4	Birhane Dibaba (ETH)	2:27:02
6	Clara Santucci (USA)	2:32:21
7	Sarah Crouch (USA)	2:32:44
8	Gelete Burka (ETH)	2:34:17
9	Melissa White (USA)	2:34:19
10	Lauren Jimison (USA)	2:34:38
11	Sarah Cummings (USA)	2:34:47
12	Lindsey Scherf (USA)	2:37:26
13	Wendy Thomas (USA)	2:37:38
14	Laura Portis (USA)	2:38:06
16	Whitney Bevins-Lazzara (USA)	2:40:12
18	Lisa Uhl (USA)	2:40:51
22	Heidi Greenwood (USA)	2:42:22
Boston – Apr 21, 2014
1	Rita Sitienei Jeptoo (KEN)	2:18:57
3	Mare Dibaba (ETH)	2:20:35
19	Wendy Thomas (USA)	2:32:49
22	Sarah Cummings (USA)	2:34:57
Tokyo – Feb 23, 2014
2	Birhane Dibaba (ETH)	2:22:30
12	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:35:03
Houston – Jan 19, 2014
3	Gelete Burka (ETH)	2:26:03
9	Heather Tanner (USA)	2:42:19
Sacramento – Dec 8, 2013
1	Becky Wade (USA)	2:30:41
15	SHALUINN FULLOVE (USA)	2:43:33
Chicago – Oct 13, 2013
1	Rita Sitienei Jeptoo (KEN)	2:19:57
3	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:26:42
5	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:26:42
9	Clara Santucci (USA)	2:31:39
10	Melissa White (USA)	2:32:37
Minneapolis-St. Paul – Oct 6, 2013
2	LAURA PORTIS (USA)	2:33:42
6	WENDY THOMAS (USA)	2:36:00
10	SARAH CUMMINGS (USA)	2:39:27
13	NICOLE FEEST (USA)	2:41:07
14	WHITNEY BEVINS-LAZZARA (USA)	2:41:17
London – Apr 21, 2013
4	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:25:14
6	Florence Kiplagat (KEN)	2:27:05
Chicago – Oct 7, 2012
1	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:22:03
2	Rita Sitienei Jeptoo (KEN)	2:22:04
13	Deanna Ardrey (USA)	2:43:37
London – Apr 22, 2012
4	Florence Kiplagat (KEN)	2:20:57
9	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:25:59
Dubai – Jan 27, 2012
3	Mare Dibaba (ETH)	2:19:52
8	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:23:13
Houston Trials – Jan 14, 2012
7	Clara Santucci (USA)	2:30:46
12	Wendy Thomas (USA)	2:34:25
13	Melissa White (USA)	2:34:33
36	Devon Yanko (USA)	2:38:55
New York City – Nov 6, 2011
21	Devon Yanko (USA)	2:42:44
22	Sarah Crouch (USA)	2:44:25
Daegu World Championships – Aug 27, 2011
14	Atsede Bayisa (Ethiopia)	2:31:37
17	Tera Moody (USA)	2:32:04
Los Angeles – Mar 20, 2011
3	Mare Dibaba (ETH)	2:30:25
10	Devon Yanko (USA)	2:43:28
Chicago – Oct 10, 2010
1	Atsede Bayisa (ETH)	2:23:40
10	Tera Moody (USA)	2:30:53
16	Melissa White (USA)	2:35:02
Chicago – Oct 11, 2009
8	Melissa White (USA)	2:32:55
9	Tera Moody (USA)	2:32:59
Berlin World Championships – Aug 23, 2009
27	Atsede Bayisa (Ethiopia)	2:36:04
28	Tera Moody (USA)	2:36:39
Boston Trials – Apr 20, 2008
5	Tera Moody (USA)	2:33:54
14	Melissa White (USA)	2:37:53