Chicago Marathon: Records were made to be broken, and Conner Mantz delivered a new North American benchmark

© Copyright – 2025 – Athletics Illustrated

Records were made to be broken, and during the 2025 Chicago Marathon, new standards were indeed set.

Chicago, known for pizza and wind, is host to one of the seven Marathon Majors and at least two races within a race.

First, Conner Mantz of the USA and Rory Linkletter of Canada were looking to break Cameron Levins’ North American record of 2:05:36 from the Tokyo Marathon, run in 2023.

CONNER MANTZ BREAKS THE AMERICAN MARATHON RECORD 🤯

BYU Alum Conner Mantz set a new American record for the marathon in Chicago with a time of 2:04.43! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/sUHYNFMBc8

— BYU Track & Field/Cross Country (@BYUTFXC) October 12, 2025

Also, Kenyan John Korir and Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo were looking to both run under 2:01:00, to enter into the same elite conversation as Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, who holds the world record at 2:00:35.

Mantz tidily took care of the North American record. He placed fourth overall with a time of 2:04:43, breaking Khalid Khannouchi’s time of 2:05:38 from the 2002 London Marathon. Interestingly, some American media did not acknowledge the North American record but that of a former Moroccan who had run so well in London. Levins from Black Creek, British Columbia, on Canada’s west coast, is faster.

Of course, North America includes Canada, the USA, Mexico and Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama). Also, the islands of the Caribbean (like Cuba, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic), and dependent territories such as Greenland and Bermuda.

The North American record is a bigger deal.

Regardless, Mantz ran a terrific race.

“What took you so long?” Khannouchi joked to Mantz at the finish line during a post-race media scrum.

The 28-year-old Mantz is now the American record holder in both the half-marathon and the marathon. His best over the half is 59:15 from the New York half in March this year.

Meanwhile, in his second-ever marathon, Kiplimo, the 24-year-old half-marathon world record holder from Uganda, won the men’s race with the 10th-fastest time in history. He clocked in at 2:02:21. Only Kiptum, Eliud Kipchoge, Kenenisa Bekele, Sisay Lemma, Sebastian Sawe, and Benson Kipruto have run faster, making him the seventh-fastest athlete ever.

Linkletter, for his efforts, ran very well to improve to the second-fastest Canadian all-time with his 2:06:49 clocking to place ninth.

Olympic medallist Galen Rupp finished in 2:09:41 and in 16th place.

Women’s race

The women’s race winner was 26-year-old Hawi Feysa of Ethiopia. She crossed the finish line with the sixth-fastest time in history in 2:14:56. Feysa led an outstanding field with top five finishers all running under 2:20.

She prevailed by 2:22 over fellow Ethiopian Megertu Alemu.

Natosha Rogers was the top American woman in sixth in 2:23:28.

The next major marathon is New York City on Nov. 2, featuring Olympic gold medallists Kipchoge of Kenya and Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands.

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