Canadian marathon runner Rory Linkletter achieved a personal best time, securing the ninth spot in the Chicago Marathon on Sunday. Completing the 42.2-kilometer race in two hours, six minutes, and 49 seconds, the Calgary native came close to Cam Levins’s Canadian record of 2:05:36. Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo dominated the professional men’s group, setting a personal best time of 2:02:23 and finishing comfortably ahead of Kenyan Amos Kipruto by one minute and 31 seconds. Levins’s national record was surpassed by Conner Mantz of the United States, who shaved 53 seconds off the mark.
Linkletter, who previously set a personal best in Boston this year with a time of 2:07:02, outpaced Levins to claim the Canadian half marathon title in August. Kiplimo, known for his world record in the men’s half-marathon, is also an Olympic and world championship bronze medalist in the 10,000 meters. Sunday marked Linkletter’s third of seven marathon majors, with the father of two showcasing his talent by finishing ninth.
In the professional women’s race, Ethiopian Hawi Feysa triumphed with a time of 2:14:56, leading an Ethiopian 1-2 finish. She finished 2:22 ahead of Megertu Alemu, with Magdalena Shauri of Tanzania taking third place in 2:18:03. The event also featured Linkletter discussing a potential return to Calgary with his family post-retirement.
The Chicago Marathon highlighted remarkable performances from athletes like Linkletter and Kiplimo, setting the stage for future competitions in the running world.