The Chicago Marathon Champion Was Only Running in His Second Race

It's often said that experience is one of the great separators in sports. Athletes who have been in high-pressure situations are often able to rely on that experience to lead themselves or their teams to victory.

The adage appears to be especially true for individual sports, where competitors are battling conditions and other factors in addition to their opponents. Distance running provides its own set of physical and mental challenges, but one competitor relied on his skill and athleticism to emerge victorious in a new discipline.

Ugandan distance runner Jacob Kiplimo was the first man to cross the finish line at the Chicago Marathon on Sunday. It's an incredible accomplishment for any athlete, but especially so for Kiplimo - competing in only his second marathon ever.

Kiplimo's Big Win in the Prestigious Race

"It's a big achievement to me. I'm happy about it," Kiplimo told NBC Chicago after he crossed the finish line.

The runner's unofficial time 2:02:21 was more than enough to win the event, and Kiplimo was on world-record pace for much of the marathon. He nearly eclipsed the 2023 mark set by the late Kelvin Kiptum, who crossed the line at 2:00:35.

Kiplimo's big win follows another impressive finish from his first-ever marathon.

Kiplimo made his full marathon debut in the London Marathon earlier this year, finishing second behind Sebastian Sawe. Kiplimo also set the Ugandan national record by a competitor in that event, following his record-setting performance in the half marathon two months prior.

The 24-year-old is already one of the world's most accomplished distance runners. In addition to the half-marathon world record, he has two cross country world championships, gold medals at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal at the Olympics.

More Competitors Make History in Chicago

In addition to Kiplimo's big win, American competitor Conner Mantz made history with his fourth-place finish. Mantz crossed the line at 2:04:43, setting a new American record in the marathon. He passes Khalid Khannouchi, who set the then-world record pace of 2:05:38 in the 2002 London Marathon.

Like Kiplimo, Mantz has competed at the Olympic Games. Representing the United States, he finished eighth in his event after his victory at the Olympic trials. More Olympians are expected to take part in the world's next major marathon in New York City later this year.

Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, who won gold in Rio and Tokyo, is scheduled to compete. The Netherlands' Sifan Hassan - a three-time Olympic gold medalist across multiple distance disciplines - is also set to take part in the women's event/

The New York City Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, November 2, as competitors will travel through all five boroughs of the city in the ultimate test of endurance.