Jacob Kiplimo, the defending champion, faded to fourth in the Chicago Marathon, attributing his loss to a hamstring issue. Kiplimo led alongside Amos Kipruto until the 30K mark, then fell behind. His coach, Peter Chelangat, was puzzled by the sudden decline.

Kiplimo's hamstring problem started around the 30K mark, transforming his race into a struggle. Kipruto took the lead, while Kiplimo finished more than three minutes behind. This marks Kiplimo's first non-top-three finish since 2015. Read more culture coverage.

Kiplimo has faced hamstring issues before, withdrawing from the 2023 World Championships due to a similar problem. He plans to recover and spend time with family before his next race. Related: Kiplimo's Chicago Marathon Title Defense Ends in Fourth Place.

This original Runner World brief is based on reporting from Marathon Handbook. Visit the source for its complete reporting, context and any later corrections.