Kebede takes Chicago Marathon men’s title

CHICAGO: Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede became the first man from Ethiopia to win the Chicago Marathon, capturing Sunday’s 35th edition of the race with a last-mile surge to defeat countryman Feyisa Lilesa.
Kebede broke a run of nine men’s wins in a row at Chicago by Kenyans in an unofficial course-record time on 2 hrs, 4 mins, 38 secs to defeat Lilesa by 14 seconds with Ethiopia’s Tilahun Regassa third in 2:05:26 in his marathon debut.
The old course mark was 2:05:37 by Kenyan Moses Mosop.
Bejing Olympic marathon bronze medalist Kebede, 25, added Chicago to a victory haul that includes 2008 Paris and Fukuoka titles and the 2010 London crown. He finished third in 2009 at Berlin in the world championships marathon.