Jacob Kiplimo wins the 2025 Chicago Marathon in 2:02:23
Jacob Kiplimo, a 24-year-old runner from Uganda, won the 2025 Chicago Marathon with an unofficial time of 2:02:23. It was his second marathon appearance—his debut came in London in April of the same year, where he clocked 2:03:37 and finished second behind Sebastian Sawe.
In Chicago, he confirmed his class by leading most of the race and finishing with a significant margin. Although he couldn’t maintain world record pace, his performance and running style earned widespread admiration.
Race Summary
Kiplimo started the race at a blistering pace, reaching 5 km in 13:58 (average 2:48 min/km). The tempo remained very high through the halfway point, which he passed in 1:00:16. At that moment, Kiplimo broke away from the rest of the field. He was leading ahead of the defending Chicago champion and Boston Marathon winner, John Korir. His pace suggested a potential world record attempt, but the second half of the race saw a slowdown.
His run through 30 km (1:25:31) was faster than the legendary record pace of Kiptum (2:00:35), set in Chicago in 2023. However, a visible drop in pace followed—the final kilometers exceeded 3 min/km, and the stretch from 40 km to the finish took over 6 minutes, reflecting natural fatigue after an aggressive start.
Key Split Times:
• 5 km: 13:58 (2:48 min/km)
• 10 km: 28:25 (2:54 min/km)
• Half marathon: 1:00:16 (2:54 min/km, projected sub-2:01 finish)
• 30 km: 1:25:31 (still near record pace)
• 40 km: 1:55:10 (slower final kilometers – 3:08, 3:23 min/km)
• Finish: 2:02:23 (average 2:54/km; maintained lead, but pace dropped)
Jacob Kiplimo’s Splits – Chicago Marathon 2025
| Checkpoint | Time | Pace (min/km) |
|---|---|---|
| 5K | 00:13:58 | 2:48 |
| 10K | 00:28:25 | 2:54 |
| 15K | 00:42:41 | 2:52 |
| 20K | 00:57:06 | 2:53 |
| HALF | 01:00:16 | 2:54 |
| 25K | 01:11:12 | 2:49 |
| 30K | 01:25:31 | 2:52 |
| Mile 20 | 01:31:41 | 2:50 |
| Mile 21 | 01:36:19 | 2:53 |
| 35K | 01:39:53 | 2:57 |
| Mile 22 | 01:41:05 | 3:02 |
| Mile 23 | 01:45:55 | 3:01 |
| Mile 24 | 01:50:50 | 3:04 |
| 40K | 01:55:10 | 3:08 |
| Mile 25 | 01:55:55 | 3:23 |
| Mile 25.2 | 01:57:03 | 3:27 |
| Finish | 02:02:23 | 3:15 |
Top Finishers
Behind Kiplimo, Kenyan Amos Kipruto crossed the finish line 91 seconds later. Third place went to Alex Masai. Kiplimo’s time of 2:02:23 is a new Ugandan national record and one of the fastest marathon times in history, although not the season’s best. Two weeks earlier, Sebastian Sawe ran 2:02:16 in Berlin despite high temperatures.
Kiptum’s Record Context
Kelvin Kiptum, who tragically died in a car accident in February 2024, set the world record in Chicago in 2023 with a time of 2:00:35. His achievement remains a benchmark for future generations of runners. Kiplimo was briefly on pace to break that record, underscoring the exceptional form he displayed in the first half of the race.
See also more about the Chicago Marathon
• Conner Mantz breaks U.S. marathon record at Chicago 2025 – discover the story behind the fastest American marathon ever.
• Chicago Marathon 2025 – elite field – see who lined up at the start and what expectations surrounded the race
📸 Chicago Marathon/Getty Images
