Charles Hicks leads American record charge at Chicago Marathon
Former British runner is one of three men targeting Conner Mantz's mark, while Jacob Kiplimo and Brigid Kosgei headline the star-studded fields in the Windy City on Sunday.
Twelve months ago Conner Mantz ended a 23-year wait by lowering the American marathon record to 2:04:43 in Chicago. On Sunday (Oct 11), the same flat course could see the mark fall again and one of the men with the best chance of doing so is Charles Hicks, a London-born runner who represented Great Britain at under-20 and under-23 level.
Hicks, 25, ran 2:04:35 at the Boston Marathon in April, finishing seventh. It is the second-fastest time ever by an American – and quicker than Mo Farah's British record – although the point-to-point Boston course is not record-eligible and runners enjoyed a tailwind that day. It was also a five-minute improvement on his 2:09:59 debut in New York last November.
Born to American parents but raised in London until the age of 12, Hicks completed his switch of allegiance to the USA in mid-July. He told AW in April that he "felt much more British than I did American" when he first chose to represent Britain at 18, so it was a significant decision. It also has a practical impact. When Hicks won the 2025 Cherry Blossom 10-miler in 45:14, the American record went to runner-up Alex Maier, one second behind, because Hicks was not yet eligible. This time any record would be his to claim.
"The Chicago Marathon has always captivated me," said Hicks, who has increased his peak mileage from 115-120 to 125-130 miles a week under coach Jerry Schumacher and did his final build at altitude in Provo. A tune-up 58:06 at the USA 20km championships in New Haven, where he was the top American, was solid rather than spectacular as Mantz ran 56:16 in the same race last year. Hicks is also being cautious in his public goals, with his aim being to finish as the first American home rather than to promise a record.
He will not have the American challenge to himself, though. Clayton Young, 33, is the man who started the record talk by announcing in September that he was targeting the mark of his training partner Mantz. He ran 2:05:41 in Boston but has since revealed a 12cm tear in his hamstring, suffered in the final stages of the Great North Run, where he finished seventh. Young still plans to line up, but it is hard to see him matching Hicks at less than 100%.
The other is Vinny Mauri, who might be the most intriguing figure in American distance running right now. The 25-year-old ran 2:05:54 on his debut at the Glass City Marathon in Toledo in April – without pacers or other elite runners – and has since built a cult following thanks to a self-coached, unorthodox build that has included a peak week of 138 miles and a 45-mile day on a treadmill in a Planet Fitness gym. Mauri, who works at a running shop and has signed with ASICS, is not shy about the target either. "On a good day, there could be several people under it," he said of the record.
Elsewhere, Galen Rupp, 40, is in the field for his first marathon as a masters athlete and has the US masters record of 2:10:02 in his sights, although he will surely be thinking bigger than that. Rupp won in Chicago in 2017 and remains the last American-born man to do so, with African-born athletes winning 27 of the past 28 editions. Patrick Cullen, a 24-year-old with a 2:12 personal best, has even declared he will run 2:06.
All of this adds up to the biggest American marathon storyline for years. A few decades ago it would have been unthinkable for the record to be in such danger, but times are tumbling everywhere. In London in April, Sabastian Sawe ran 1:59:30 to become the first man to break two hours in a record-eligible race and the gap of 5:13 between the world and American records is the largest it has been since the 1950s.
The overall win, though, looks likely to go elsewhere. Defending champion Kiplimo, 25, has a personal best of 2:00:28 from finishing third in London behind Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha. That is quicker than the course record of 2:00:35 set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023 and a minute faster than anyone else in the field. The Ugandan has improved with every one of his three marathons, from 2:03:37 in London last year to 2:02:23 when winning in Chicago and then his run this spring.
The one question is that, unlike his previous marathon builds, Kiplimo has not raced since London. Whether that is by design or because of a training hiccup will become clearer at Friday's press conference, as will the pace set by the lead pacemakers.
The weather is also a factor. The latest forecast suggests about 15C at the start, rising to 17C by the time the leading men finish, with cloudy skies and light winds. That is considered good for fast running but warmer than ideal for a world record bid, which could cost 25 to 65 seconds compared with a perfect day. Still, the American record remains very much in play.
If Kiplimo falters, there are plenty of challengers. Amos Kipruto, 34, of Kenya was second here last year in 2:03:54 and ran 2:01:39 in London. He has reached the podium in six of his 10 major marathon appearances, including a victory in London in 2022.
Tadese Takele, a 24-year-old Ethiopian and the 2025 and 2026 Tokyo winner, has a 2:03:23 personal best, while compatriot Milkesa Mengesha won in Berlin in 2024 in 2:03:17. Kenya's Daniel Mateiko ran 2:03:44 in Tokyo and 58:30 for the half-marathon in August. The big unknown is Brian Kibor of Kenya, who makes his marathon debut with a 58:39 half-marathon best.
There is a British interest too. Rob Warner-Judd makes his marathon debut, while Max Milarvie, who ran 2:12:51 in Valencia last December, is also in the men's field.
Some observers believe the women's race may be even more compelling than the men's contest. Brigid Kosgei returns to Chicago for the first time since 2019, when she ran 2:14:04 to take 81 seconds off Paula Radcliffe's world record. The Kenyan has been enjoying a resurgence over the past year, culminating in a course-record 2:14:29 victory in Tokyo, just 25 seconds shy of her best, and she warmed up with a 1:06:15 win at the Great North Run last month.
Standing in her way is defending champion Hawi Feysa. The Ethiopian lowered her personal best by two minutes to 2:14:57 to win by more than two minutes last year, following the suspension of 2024 champion Ruth Chepngetich, but Kosgei beat her in Tokyo earlier this year and she has not raced since.
Then there is Sharon Lokedi, who makes her Chicago debut. The Kenyan won in New York in 2022 and has been victorious in Boston in both 2025 and 2026, setting a course record of 2:17:22 in the first of those. Those races are all on hilly courses and so her first crack at a flat course is a mouth-watering prospect. Her training partner Jacob Thomson is helping with the pacing.
Further depth comes from Loice Chemnung, who was fourth here last year and runner-up in Boston, plus Sutume Kebede, the 2024 runner-up, and Megertu Alemu, who have personal bests of 2:15:55 and 2:16:34 respectively.
On the American side, Emma Grace Hurley makes her marathon debut after running a women-only American record of 1:06:23 for the half-marathon when finishing fifth at the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen.
"This one is for learning and the next is for nailing it," she says, with her target being a top-10 finish. Susanna Sullivan, Natosha Rogers, Dakotah Popehn and Molly Born will also be in the mix, while Sara Hall may be after her own US masters record of 2:23:45. Britain's Jess Warner-Judd, who has a personal best of 2:24:45, completes the British contingent.
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is on Sunday (Oct 11). Chicago is six hours behind the UK.
Times (Chicago time / UK time):
In the UK, the race will be shown on TNT Sports, which is available through HBO Max with the sports add-on. In the USA it will be broadcast on NBC5 Chicago and streamed on Peacock.
