Kiplimo finishes fourth in Chicago Marathon after late fade

What the report says

Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo finished fourth in the 2026 Chicago Marathon, bringing an end to his attempt to defend the title he won in 2025. According to Nile Post, the 25-year-old started strongly and stayed with the leading group for much of the race before fading in the final kilometres. He completed the 42.195km course in 2:04:18, which was outside the podium places.

The report says Kiplimo was still on a pace that suggested a much faster finish at around the halfway point, but he lost ground over the closing stretch. Kenya’s Amos Kipruto won in 2:01:09, ahead of Ethiopia’s Tadese Bikila in second and Milkesa Mengesha in third. The winning time placed Kipruto among the fastest marathon performances on record, according to World Athletics.

Nile Post noted that the Chicago result was a setback for one of Uganda’s leading distance runners, who has built a strong profile across road racing, cross-country and track. Kiplimo’s recent achievements include a 2:00:28 personal best at the London Marathon in April, a half-marathon world record set in Lisbon in March 2026, and multiple major titles and medals in other events. The Chicago race underscores how quickly marathon fortunes can change over the final miles, even for athletes with elite credentials.