Print
Email
0
0
BY FRANCINE KNOWLES AND STEFANO ESPOSITO Staff Reporters October 7, 2012 7:30AM
Related Documents
 Map: Marathon of Chicago neighborhoodsArticle Extras
Updated: October 7, 2012 11:02AM
Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia won the 2012 Bank of American Chicago marathon with a course record time of 2:04:39 unofficially, followed by fellow countryman Feyisa Lilesa. It was a near photo finish for the women, with Atsede Baysa of Ethiopia just winning out over Rita Jeptoo of Kenya.
- New York MarathonCreate Your Own Fundraising Page for the 2012 New York City Marathon www.crowdrise.com
“I don’t believe it,†Kebede told a TV reporter just after the race. “2-04, I like it!â€
Kebede pulled away late and was all alone, waving to the crowd as he approached the finish at Grant Park. He easily topped the previous course record, 2:05:37, was set last year by Moses Mosop of Kenya.
While Kebede pulled ahead of Lilesa in the last leg of the race, the women were within steps of each other, trading leads, right up to the finish.
Baysa finished in 2:22:03, one second ahead of Jeptoo. She did not break the women’s record of 2:17:18 set by Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain in 2002.
The race brought tens of thousands or runners and their supporters to Chicago Sunday, with the first wave of runners taking off at 7:30 a.m. in 40-degree weather. The second wave followed at 8 a.m., and all were expected to have finished crossing the line by 8:30.
Average Rating