Fourth Annual Bank of America Chicago 13.1 Sees Record-Breaking Performances

Image: courtesy of Chicago Marathon

Zouhair Talbi, Meseret Belete, and Daniel Romanchuk set new benchmarks in the professional and wheelchair divisions

More than 9,500 participants gathered under ideal race conditions for the fourth annual Bank of America Chicago 13.1. Following a Saturday filled with community-based wellness activities, Sunday’s half marathon took runners on a tour through Chicago’s historic West Side parks and boulevards, looping through Garfield, Douglass, and Humboldt Parks. The event celebrated movement, community, and the spirit of running in Chicago.

Zouhair Talbi and Meseret Belete broke the tape first in the professional running divisions, setting a pair of event records en-route to their victories. Daniel Romanchuk captured his fourth straight title in the wheelchair competition, while Susannah Scaroni secured her third win in the women’s division. Ricky Gupta claimed the top spot in the non-binary running competition.

“We’re proud to celebrate four years of racing through Chicago’s West Side,” said Carey Pinkowski, Executive Race Director of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Shamrock Shuffle and Chicago 13.1. “The energy of the neighborhoods, the commitment of our partners, and the support of our local running communities make this event truly special. We’re excited to see the Bank of America Chicago 13.1 continue to grow in both scale and impact.”

In the men’s race, a tight pack of nine formed in the early miles before dwindling to four by 15K. Talbi, a Moroccan-born U.S. citizen, hit the accelerator, leaving the field behind, and claiming victory in an event record, 1:01:08. Talbi improved on his third place finish from a year ago. Emad Bashir-Mohammed and Patrick Kiprop also sailed under the previous event record, finishing second and third, respectively, in 1:01:18 and 1:01:19. 

In the women’s race, Belete of Ethiopia, Mercy Lagat, Maggie Montoya, and defending champion Joyline Chemutai hung tight through 8K, but the race quickly shifted to a duel between Belete and Lagat by 10K. Belete kicked hard down the homestretch to take the win and set an event record, 1:09:36. Lagat finished a few strides behind in 1:09:38, while Montoya claimed the final podium spot in 1:09:53. 

The wheelchair division delivered another thrilling finish, with Romanchuk setting an event record of 43:43, narrowly edging out Aaron Pike by one second (43:44). Scaroni, the 2025 Boston Marathon champion, raced against the clock to collect her third Chicago 13.1 victory in 48:50. Hannah Dederick and Hannah Babalola crossed the finish line together in 55:08, with Dederick in second and Bablola in third.

Ricky Gupta topped the podium in 1:28:22 in the non-binary division, followed by Robert George and Johnny Pliego to round out the top three.

More than 80 percent of today’s field hailed from Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. 

As the second event in the Bank of America Chicago Distance Series, the Chicago 13.1 continues to build momentum following the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle in March and leading into the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in October. The series invites runners to experience the distinctiveness of Chicago’s neighborhoods across three events throughout the year. Training for the 47th annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon kicks off next weekend.