The World Athletics Heritage Centre in Iten was filled with song and dance on Sunday evening as Kenyans celebrated Amos Kipruto’s victory at the 2026 Chicago Marathon in the United States.
Athletes, coaches, fans and family members gathered at the Bank of Africa Chicago Marathon Viewerthon party to celebrate the outstanding performances of Kipruto, Sharon Lokedi, Brigid Kosgei and other Kenyan athletes who took on the world’s best.
The event, held at the Home of Champions, attracted about 500 athletics lovers who followed the race live at a viewing party organised by Bank of Africa Kenya under its Mwanariadha product.
Coaches’ chairman Richard Kanda said Iten had produced some of Kenya’s finest athletes and described Kipruto’s victory as a result that reflected the high expectations of Kenyans.
Kanda also reflected on the level of competition witnessed in Chicago, where elite athletes from Kenya, Ethiopia and other countries battled for honours in one of the world’s leading marathon races.
Bank of Africa Sales Manager Malenya Lusimba said the bank was committed to investing in athletics and supporting athletes to manage their earnings through the Mwanariadha account, which is tailored to meet their financial needs.
“We want to make sure they invest wisely. It’s important for us as a bank and as a country because they earn a lot and they can improve the economy of the country,” Lusimba said.
He warned athletes against borrowing money from informal lenders, commonly known as shylocks, who often charge high interest rates and expose borrowers to financial difficulties.
“Many athletes have lost property because of borrowing from shylocks at very high interest rates. We are telling them to come to the bank, we will give them affordable loans and guide them on investment,” he said.
On the course in Chicago, Kipruto delivered a stunning performance to win the men’s race in a personal best of 2:01:09, improving on his previous best of 2:01:39 set at the London Marathon in April.
The Kenyan defeated Ethiopian duo Tadese Bikila, who clocked 2:02:56, and Milkesa Mengesha, who finished in 2:03:46. Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo placed fourth in 2:02:35.
The victory marked Kipruto’s second World Marathon Major title, following his triumph at the London Marathon in 2022. It was also his first Chicago Marathon victory after finishing second last year.
In the women’s race, Kenyans Sharon Lokedi and Brigid Kosgei finished second and third, respectively, behind Ethiopia’s Feysa, who successfully defended her title in 2:13:33.
The results provided further cause for celebration among the fans who had gathered in Iten, reaffirming the town’s reputation as a breeding ground for world-class distance runners.
Men’s Elite
1. Amos Kipruto (KEN) — 2:01:09
2. Tadese Bikila (ETH) — 2:02:56
3. Milkesa Mengesha (ETH) — 2:03:46
4. Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) — 2:04:18
5. Boki Diriba (ETH) — 2:05:01
6. Daniel Mateiko (KEN) — 2:05:23
7. Clayton Young (USA) — 2:05:23
8. Charles Hicks (USA) — 2:05:35
9. Akira Akasaki (JPN) — 2:05:48
10. Vincent Mauri (USA) — 2:06:46
11. Galen Rupp (USA) — 2:06:54
Women’s Elite
1. Hawi Feysa (ETH) — 2:13:33
2. Sharon Lokedi (KEN) — 2:14:07
3. Brigid Kosgei (KEN) — 2:14:55
4. Mary Ngugi-Cooper (KEN) — 2:17:23
5. Joan Jepkosgei Kilimo (KEN) — 2:18:38
6. Isobel Batt-Doyle (AUS) — 2:20:38
7. Emma Grace Hurley (USA) — 2:20:47
8. Degitu Azimeraw Asires (ETH) — 2:21:00
9. Magdalyne Masai (KEN) — 2:21:11
10. Loice Chemnung (KEN) — 2:21:19