Jacod Kiplimo gears up for 2026 Chicago Marathon

Ugandan long-distance star Jacob Kiplimo is gearing up for the Chicago Marathon in the United States, where he will return to defend the title he won last year.

The 2026 Chicago Marathon is set for October 11, 2026, with Kiplimo expected to headline the elite field alongside Ethiopia's Hawi Feysa.

The Chicago Marathon will mark Kiplimo's fourth marathon since he moved away from track running in 2024, as he continues to establish himself among the world's leading road runners.

The Chicago course is known for being flat and fast, offering athletes favorable conditions to post competitive times. The race starts and finishes in Grant Park and takes runners through some of the most magnificent parts of the city.

Kiplimo last competed at the London Marathon in April this year, where he finished third in a highly competitive race and set a new Ugandan national record with a time of 2:00:28.

Kenya's Sebastian Sawe won the London Marathon in 1:59:30, while Kiplimo's performance further demonstrated his ability to compete at the highest level over the marathon distance.

Ahead of his return to Chicago, Kiplimo's coach Peter Chelangat says the athlete is undergoing intensive preparations as he targets another strong performance.

"Kiplimo is training vigorously ahead of his fourth marathon," Chelangat said.

The coach believes Kiplimo has what it takes to retain the Chicago Marathon title and is confident that a successful defence would be a major achievement for the Ugandan star.

"What we need is for Kiplimo to defend his title. We know he can, and we will be excited if he defends it," Chelangat said.

Kiplimo's decision to focus on the Chicago Marathon is also one of the reasons he was left out of Uganda's team for the World Athletics Road Running Championships, scheduled for September 19–20 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The championships will bring together some of the world's leading road runners, but Kiplimo has opted to concentrate on his marathon preparations and his title defence in Chicago.

His return to Chicago comes as he continues to build his marathon career after making the transition from track competition. With his national record from London still fresh, attention will now turn to whether he can reproduce his best form and successfully defend his title.