Hawi Feysa Wins the Women’s Race at the 2026 Chicago Marathon

The women’s race at the 2026 Chicago Marathon unfolded as a long, tactical battle between Hawi Feysa and Sharon Lokedi. Both athletes ran side by side for much of the race, holding a pace that projected finishing times near 2:12 and creating a clear gap over the rest of the field. The decisive moment came late, when Feysa launched a strong surge that immediately dropped Lokedi from contention.

Feysa claimed victory in 2:13:33, a performance that moves her to fourth on the all‑time women’s marathon list. Lokedi finished second in 2:14:07, placing her eighth in history. Brigid Jepchirchir Kosgei secured third place with 2:14:55 — seven years after her historic Chicago win, where she set a world record of 2:14:04.

The key break occurred at the 25‑mile mark. Feysa delivered a decisive acceleration that Lokedi could not match. Over less than two kilometers, the Ethiopian athlete built a 34‑second lead, turning a close contest into a controlled run to the finish.

The race also produced major results among American and Oceanian athletes. Emma Grace Hurley recorded the fastest marathon debut in North American history, finishing seventh in an impressive 2:20:47. Just ahead of her, Isobel Batt‑Doyle placed sixth in 2:20:38, breaking the Australian and Oceania record. With five Kenyan runners and two Ethiopian athletes in the top ten, the 2026 edition delivered one of the strongest women’s fields Chicago has ever seen.

Top 10 – Chicago Marathon 2026 (Women)