2016 Bank of America Chicago Marathon elite field - Men First name Last name Country Marathon PRDennis Kimetto KEN 2:02:57Dickson Chumba KEN 2:04:32Tsegaye Kebede ETH 2:04:38Abel Kirui KEN 2:05:04Micah Kogo KEN 2:06:56Gideon Kipketer KEN 2:08:14Koji Gokaya JPN 2:09:21Takuya Fukatsu JPN 2:09:31Luke Puskedra USA 2:10:24Elkanah Kibet USA 2:11:31Kazuya Ishida JPN 2:11:57Ryoichi Matsuo JPN 2:12:11Tim Young USA 2:14:40David Nilsson SWE 2:17:19Jose Madera USA 2:17:25Tony Migliozzi USA 2:17:44Jonathan Mott USA 2:18:12Kevin Havel USA 2:21:57Dustin Emerick USA 2:22:16Andrew Epperson USA 2:22:20Diego Estrada USA -Stephen Sambu KEN Marathon debutTom Anderson GBR Marathon debutChris Burnett USA Marathon debutKiya Dandena USA Marathon debutAndrew Sherman GBR Marathon debutDaniel Wallis NZL Marathon debut

Tom Anderson Birthdate: 01/12/90 Citizenship: Great Britain Resides: Indianapolis, IN Twitter: @tomanderson90

Personal recordsMarathon debut Half marathon 1:04:03 (Houston, 2016)

Career overview Tom Anderson is set to make his marathon debut at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon after having established himself at the half marathon distance, posting times of 1:04:03, 1:04:10 and 1:04:27. He started his 2016 season with a top 25 finish at the Houston Half Marathon, a 10th place finish at the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile and a victory at the Indianapolis Monumental Mile.

Anderson, a British runner who was the UK U23 national 5000m champion in 2012, competed at Butler University where he was a three-time Atlantic 10 runner-up. He led the Bulldogs to the 2012 Atlantic 10 cross country title by finishing third in the competition.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 01/17/16 Houston Half Marathon 23rd 1:04:03 04/03/16 Washington Cherry Blossom 10M 10th 49:27 04/14/16 Walnut Mt. SAC Relays 10,000m 16th 29:37.9 06/02/16 Indianapolis Monumental Mile 1st 4:05.7 06/11/16 Portland Track Festival 10,000m 15th 29:14.3 07/09/16 Solihull 3rd 14:15.5

Nick Arciniaga Birthdate: 06/30/83 Citizenship: United States Residence: Flagstaff, AZ Sponsor: Under Armour Twitter: @NickArciniaga

2013 U.S. Marathon Champion

Personal recordsMarathon 2:11:30 (Houston, 2011)Half marathon 1:03:22 (Houston, 2010) Career overview Nick Arciniaga, one of America’s most consistent marathon runners since his debut at the 2006 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, once failed to make his middle school track team, and he never qualified for the state meet during his four years at Fountain Valley High School in California. His collegiate record at Cal State Fullerton, where he never made nationals, did not lend itself to an exceptional professional running career. And yet, Arciniaga ranked in the top 10 of the marathon in the U.S. from 2008-2014. He won the 2013 U.S. Marathon Championships (his sole career victory to date) and he has finished in the top 10 of the 13 marathons he has run, including twice at Boston, twice at New York and twice at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. He has represented the U.S. in one international competition, the 2011 IAAF World Championships Marathon in Daegu.

Arciniaga started his 2016 campaign with a 10th place showing at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, and followed that with a sixth place finish at Grand-ma’s Marathon in Duluth, clocking 2:17:12. Arciniaga last toed the start line of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2010, finishing 15th in 2:18:12.

A veteran of the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project and McMillan Elite, Arciniaga now trains with and helps coach Team Run Flagstaff.

Personal Arciniaga grew up in a competitive family that thrived on game nights, and when a roommate decided to read Atlas Shrugged, Arciniaga, over the course of nine months, plodded through War and Peace because War and Peace is almost 300 pages longer than Atlas Shrugged; both novels run more than one thousand pages.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 01/17/16 Annaheim Half Marathon 1st 1:05:49 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 10th 2:16:25 03/06/16 Phoenix Mountain to Fountain 15K 1st 45:58 04/03/16 Sacramento SacTown 10 Mile 3rd 49:54 04/30/16 Columbus U.S. Half Marathon Championships 11th 1:04:20 05/14/16 Grand Rapids U.S. 25 km Road Running Championships 8th 1:17:37 06/18/16 Duluth Grandma’s Marathon 6th 2:17:12

Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 06/18/16 Duluth Grandma’s Marathon 6th 2:17:12 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 10th 2:16:25 11/01/15 New York Marathon 16th 2:22:07 04/20/15 Boston Marathon 14th 2:18:02 11/02/14 New York Marathon 10th 2:15:39 06/21/14 Duluth Grandma's Marathon 9th 2:14:31 04/21/14 Boston Marathon 7th 2:11:47 10/06/13 St. Paul Twin Cities Marathon 1st 2:13:11 03/17/13 Los Angeles Marathon 7th 2:17:05 12/01/12 Sacramento California International Marathon 5th 2:18:36 04/16/12 Boston Marathon - DNF 01/14/12 Houston U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 8th 2:11:56 09/04/11 Daegu IAAF World Championships 39th 2:24:06 01/30/11 Houston Marathon 2nd 2:11:30 10/10/10 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 15th 2:18:12 06/06/10 San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon 3rd 2:11:48 11/01/09 New York City Marathon 8th 2:13:46 04/21/08 Boston Marathon 10th 2:16:13 11/03/07 New York U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 17th 2:17:08 10/22/06 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 22nd 2:16:58

Brogan AustinBirthdate: 10/05/91Citizenship: United StatesResidence: Madison, WIAgent: Neil SegelTwitter: @brogan_austin

Personal recordsMarathon 2:24:39 (Los Angeles, 2016)Half marathon 1:04:38 (Philadelphia, 2015)

Career overview Brogan Austin made headlines this summer when he became the first American-born runner and first Iowan to win the Healthy Solutions 8K in Madison, WI. since 1997. He took down a talented field, clocking 23:57 for the win. Prior to stealing the show at the 8K, he made his marathon debut at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. He performed well, finishing 39th in 2:24:39. In 2015, Austin ran his half marathon PR, 1:04:38, to qualify for the Olympic Tri-als. He also placed 18th at the U.S. 10 Mile Championships in a PR, 49:09.

Austin was a five-time Missouri Valley Conference Champion on the track in the 3000m and 5000m while competing at Drake University. In 2013, he won both the Drake Relays and MVC crown in the 5000m, and in 2011, he won the individual MVC title in cross country.

Austin was a decorated prep athlete at Boone High School in Iowa, winning the 1600m and 3200m at the 2010 Iowa Class 3A state track meet; he also won the 2009 Iowa Class 3A individual state cross country title.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 39th 2:24:39 06/04/16 Des Moines Dam to Dam Half Marathon 4th 1:06:36 06/18/16 Fort Atkinson Half Marathon 1st 1:04:55 07/04/16 Health Solutions 8K 1st 23:57:00 07/09/16 Ames Midnight Race 1st 30:42 Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 39th 2:24:39

Dickson Chumba Birthdate: 10/27/86 Citizenship: Kenya Agent: Gianni Demadonna Sponsor: Nike

2015 Bank of America Chicago Marathon champion

Personal recordsMarathon 2:04:32 (Chicago, 2014)Half marathon 1:00:39 (San Diego, 2014)

Career overview Dickson Chumba took home his third career victory at the 2015 Bank of America Chicago Marathon where he broke the lead pack with just three miles to go. Without the use of pacesetters for the first time in 26 years, Chumba ran a tactical race that looked more like a jog than a global competition. A pack of nine remained in contention until mile 20 where Chumba, Sammy Kitwara and Abera Kuma made the first legitimate move of the race. By mile 24, Chumba opened a 20 second gap on the chase pack, a gap that proved insurmountable in the end.

Chumba, hot off the heels of his Abbott World Marathon Majors victory and course record at the 2014 Tokyo Marathon, first impressed fans at the 2014 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, finishing 3rd overall in a career personal best, 2:04:32. While winner Eluid Kipchoge dropped the hammer with two miles to go, Chumba and Kitwara traded leads and pained expressions as they dueled down the home stretch for second place. In the end, Chumba could not match Kitwara’s final burst of speed, but he still managed to take more than a minute off of his PR.

Chumba experienced several performance breakthroughs in 2014, setting PRs on the road in the 10K, half marathon and marathon. He opened 2016 by nearly winning the Tokyo Marathon, but a final push from eventual winner Feyisa Lilesa with one kilometer to go crushed his hopes of a second victory in Japan.

Personal Prior to becoming a professional runner in 2008, Chumba worked as a gardener.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 02/28/16 Tokyo Marathon 3rd 2:07:34 04/24/16 Yangzhou Half Marathon 10th 1:02:12

Career marathonsDate Race Place Time02/28/16 Tokyo Marathon 3rd 2:07:34 10/11/15 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 1st 2:09:25 02/22/15 Tokyo Marathon 3rd 2:06:34 10/12/14 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 3rd 2:04:32 02/23/14 Tokyo Marathon 1st 2:05:42 10/20/13 TCS Amsterdam Marathon 8th 2:10:15 04/15/13 Boston Marathon 7th 2:14:08 10/14/12 De Lage Landen Marathon Eindhoven 1st 2:05:4601/07/12 Xiamen Marathon 2nd 2:08:21 10/30/11 BMW Frankfurt Marathon 7th 2:07:23 03/04/11 Rome Marathon 1st 2:08:45 10/10/10 Maratona D'Italia Memorial Enzo Ferrari, Carpi 2nd 2:09:20 04/25/10 Madrid Marathon 2nd 2:11:54

Kiya DandenaBirthdate: 04/14/89Citizenship: United StatesResidence: Flagstaff, AZ.Agent: Neil SegelSponsor: Sketchers Performance Twitter: @Kiya_Dandena

Personal records Half Marathon 1:04:16 (Philadelphia, 2015)

Career overview Kiya Dandena trains full-time in Flagstaff, AZ with Team Run Flagstaff Pro. He made his marathon debut at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, but he became one of 61 athletes to drop out of the race on the warmest day recorded in Trials history. Dandena rallied in June to post a strong half marathon for a sixth place finish at the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon in Duluth. He had an especially strong year in 2015, running 1:04:16 and 1:04:44 in the half marathon.

Dandena ran successfully at Texas A&M (Kingsville). He set school records in the indoor mile, 5000m and 10,000m. He became an All-American in 2011, and he was named the Lone Star Conference Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 01/17/16 Tempe Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Half Marathon 15th 1:07:34 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials - DNF03/05/16 Fresh 15K 12th 48:30 06/04/16 Garden of Life Sun Run 5K Challenge 1st 14:36 06/18/16 Duluth Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon 6th 1:05:23 Career marathonDate Race Place Time 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials - DNF

Dustin EmerickBirthdate: 03/1/89Citizenship: United StatesResidence: Evansville, INCoach: Mike Hillyard Sponsor: Sketchers PerformanceTwitter: @dremerick

Personal recordsMarathon 2:22:216 (Los Angeles, 2016)Half marathon 1:04:17 (Richmond, 2013)

Career overview Dustin Emerick made his marathon debut at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, finishing strong in 26th place. Emerick, an Elmwood, IL. native, made a splash in 2011 as a college athlete when he broke his school record and posted the 13th fastest time in the world in the 10,000m at the time, 28:41 (the ninth fast-est time ever by a Division II runner). He ran even faster in the 10,000m in 2012 at Palo Alto, recording his still-standing PR, 28:33.

Emerick ran at the University of Southern Indiana at Evansville where he was a combined four-time All-American in cross country and outdoor track, a combined 12-time All-GLVC honoree, three-time GLVC Freshman of the Year and seven-time All-Midwest Region honoree. He was also the USTFCCCA Midwest Region Outdoor Track Athlete of Year in 2010, 2011 and 2012. He holds USI’s record in the 10,000m and ranks third all-time in both the indoor and outdoor 5000m.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 26th 2:22:18 05/21/16 The River Run 10M 1st 51:10 06/18/16 Laufenfest 5K 3rd 15:48 Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 26th 2:22:18

Andrew EppersonBirthdate: 11/24/90Citizenship: United StatesResidence: Northglenn, CO Twitter: @Texarodorunner

Personal recordsMarathon 2:22:20 (Los Angeles, 2016)Half marathon 1:04:04 (Houston, 2015)

Career overview Andrew Epperson is relatively new to the professional running circuit, and he has managed to impress so far with a 1:04:04 half marathon PR and a 27th place finish in his marathon debut at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials. Epperson, an assistant coach for the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) cross country team, was a two-time cross country All-American for CSM. Prior to graduating in 2014, he qualified for the NCAA track and field championships in the indoor and outdoor 5000m, and the 10,000m.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 01/01/16 Run Houston! Sam Houston Race Park 1st 30:40 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 27th 2:22:20 06/11/16 Portland Track Festival 20th 29:30 07/04/16 Atlanta Peachtree Road Race 14th 31:01

Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 27th 2:22:20

Diego Estrada Birthdate: 12/19/89 Citizenship: United States Residence: Flagstaff, AZ. Agent: Ray Flynn Coach: Joe Vigil Sponsor: Asics Twitter: @estradadiego

2015 U.S. Half Marathon champion

Personal recordsHalf marathon 1:00:51 (Houston, 2015)10,000m 27:30.53 (Eugene, 2015) Career overview Diego Estrada took the running world by storm when he won the 2015 U.S. Half Marathon Championships in Houston, turning in the seventh fastest time in American history, 1:00:51. Comparisons to American record holder Ryan Hall followed and many in the sport eagerly awaited Estrada’s marathon debut. He finally made his 26.2-mile entrance at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Los Angeles. He hung with the leaders for 18 miles before succumbing to the heat and dropping out. Estrada attempted to make the U.S. Olympic team one more time on the track, finishing a distant 11th in the 5000m - well outside of the place he needed to represent the United States in Rio (prior to the 5000m, he dropped out of the 10,000m).

Born in Mexico but raised in the U.S., Estrada represented Mexico at the 2012 London Olympic Games in the 10,000m, making the final and finishing 21st in 28:36. At the time, he was already an accomplished runner at Northern Arizona University. He graduated from NAU in 2013 as a nine-time All-American. He became a U.S. citizen in 2014 and won his first U.S. title soon after at the 5K Road Championships. Estrada’s 2016 season largely focused on making the U.S. Olympic team. Although he won’t fulfill his Olympic dream this cycle, his real potential in the marathon remains untapped and unknown.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 01/17/16 Houston Half Marathon 14th 1:03:28 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials - DNF 03/20/16 New York Half Marathon 5th 1:02:15 04/16/16 Boston B.A.A. 5K 5th 13:54 05/01/16 Palo Alto Payton Jordan Invitational 1500m 7th 3:42.7 05/20/16 Los Angeles Hoka One One Middle Distance Classic 1500m 8th 3:45.3 05/30/16 Boulder International Challenge 10K 3rd 29:41 07/01/16 Eugene U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000m - DNF 07/04/16 Eugene U.S. Olympic Trials 5000m 6th 13:48.7 07/09/16 Eugene U.S. Olympic Trials 5000m 11th 13:52.1

Career marathon Date Race Place Time02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials - DNF

Takuya FukatsuBirthdate: 11/10/87Citizenship: JapanResidence: Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Pref.Sponsor: Asahi CorpCoach: Tadayuki Ojima

Personal recordsMarathon 2:09:31 (Otsu, 2016) Half marathon 1:01:25 (Tamana, 2012)

Career overviewTakuya Fukatsu, a former high school and collegiate Ekiden star, made his long awaited marathon debut in 2015, finishing fourth at the Nagano Commem-orative Marathon in 2:11:48. Expectations were high for Fukatsu after his course record performance at the 2012 Kanaguri Hai Tamana Half Marathon. He dropped his competitors and ran a solo 1:01:25 - the all-time 8th fastest Japanese mark on an unaided course (now the 16th fastest time). Fukatsu has dipped under 62 minutes twice in the half marathon.

Fukatsu started 2016 with a two minute PR in the marathon at the Otsu Lake Biwa Marathon, finishing fifth overall in 2:09:31.The Bank of America Chicago Marathon represents his second race on U.S. soil; he raced for the first time in the U.S. at the 2014 Philadelphia Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon (he finished 19th). Fukatsu’s goal on October 9 is to finish inside the top five.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 02/14/16 Karatsu 10-Mile 3rd 47:51 03/06/16 Otsu Lake Biwa Marathon 5th 2:09:31

Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 03/06/16 Otsu Lake Biwa Marathon 5th 2:09:3104/19/15 Nagano Commemorative Marathon 4th 2:11:48

Koji GokayaBirthdate: 02/22/88Citizenship: JapanAgent: Wataru Ogushi Sponsor: New Balance

Personal recordsMarathon 2:09:21 (Tokyo, 2015) Half marathon 1:02:52 (Tachikawa, 2009)

Career overview Koji Gokaya made his professional running debut in 2008, and his marathon debut in 2011 at the Otsu Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon. He finished tenth in a solid 2:12:07, and was named “Rookie of the Year” in Japan as a result. He arrived in Chicago that October, finishing seventh in 2:12:15. It took Gokaya three years to run faster than his debut, but he finally did at the 2014 Frankfurt Marathon, finishing in 2:11:43. Four months later, he experienced his greatest marathon breakthrough yet at the 2015 Tokyo Marathon. He ran a two and a half minute PR to finish 11th in 2:09:21.

Gokaya ended 2015 and started 2016 with one goal in mind: the Olympic Games. He concluded his 2015 marathon season at the Berlin Marathon, where he ran in spite of a possible stress fracture in his femur. “’Well, it’s not broken,’ I told myself, and continued training,” Gokaya shared with the Japan Bullet. The diminutive runner (standing just 5’3”) pushed through the pain to finish ninth overall in 2:10:58. He was the first Japanese athlete across the line.

Gokaya experienced a tough race at the 2016 Tokyo Marathon. He battled an injury over the 42K distance, but did not drop out. He finished 47th in 2:21:05 and was subsequently left off the team for Rio. Gokaya’s goal in Chicago is to run 2:08.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 02/28/16 Tokyo Marathon 47th 2:21:05 Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 02/28/16 Tokyo Marathon 47th 2:21:05 09/27/15 Berlin Marathon 9th 2:10:58 02/22/15 Tokyo Marathon 11th 2:09:21 10/26/14 Frankfurt Marathon 12th 2:11:43 12/01/13 Fukuoka Marathon 25th 2:23:00 08/25/13 Sapporo Hokkaido Marathon 1st 2:14:26 10/09/11 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 7th 2:12:15 3/06/11 Otsu Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon 10th 2:12:07

Jonas HamptonBirthdate: 01/20/89Citizenship: United StatesResidence: New Britain, CTTwitter: @JonasHampton

Personal recordsMarathon 2:15:58 (Hartford, 2015)Half marathon 1:03:57 (Houston, 2015)

Career overview Jonas Hampton gained media attention after his debut marathon at the 2015 Hartford Marathon. While he considered making his debut at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials (he qualified based on his half marathon time), he ultimately decided to tackle the distance beforehand. After running with a small pack for 16 miles, Hampton made a break up a hill and never looked back. He went into the race expecting to run around 2:18, and then he experienced the kind of debut all runners hope for: he exceeded his expectations, achieved the Olympic Trials “A” standard and added a victory to his resume. He also ended a 19-year drought for the state of Connecticut – he was the first person from the state to win the race since 1996.

Hampton, a University of Hartford graduate and a full-time highway design engineer, didn’t have the race he dreamed of having at the Trials. In spite of struggling with the heat over the final 13 miles of the course, he hung on to finish in the top 50. Hampton has shown promise at the 42K distance; if he arrives in Chicago healthy, he could shake things up on the American side.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 01/03/16 Jacksonville Half Marathon 23rd 1:04:46 01/30/16 Boston John Thomas Terrier Classic 14th 14:20.2 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 48th 2:27:21 Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 48th 2:27:21 10/10/15 Hartford Marathon 1st 2:15:58

Kevin HavelBirthdate: 01/13/90Citizenship: United StatesResidence: Chicago, ILCoach: Michael Lucchesi

Personal recordsMarathon 2:20:55 (Boston, 2014)Half marathon 1:04:27 (Houston, 2016)

Career overview Kevin Havel, a member of Chicago’s elite New Balance racing team, made his mark at the 2015 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, placing 25th overall in 2:21:57. Havel started his 2016 campaign at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials after hitting the “B” standard in January at the Houston Half Marathon (Havel ran under 1:05:00 in a PR, 1:04:27). He struggled at the Trials, finishing in 100th place. In an interview with the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA), he said, “The race was one of the toughest of my life. I unfortunately went out too fast for the heat, and really suffered the last half of the race. I'm proud of the way I competed and finished, however, and it was a great learning experience.”Havel currently trains and resides in Chicago, making him a hometown favorite. He attended John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, IL before at-tending Stanford University. He still holds the Illinois state record in the mile for eighth graders (4:31.75).

Unlike many professional athletes in this year’s elite athlete field, Havel works full-time as an operations consultant for a manufacturing and supply chain, fitting 100 mile training weeks into a full time work schedule.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 01/17/16 Houston Half Marathon 31st 1:04:27 02/16/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 100th 2:44:02 04/03/16 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 18th 24:18 04/24/16 Ravenswood Run 5K 1st 14:50 06/05/16 Highland Park North Shore Half Marathon 1st 1:06:42

Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 02/16/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 100th 2:44:02 10/11/15 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 25th 2:21:57 04/21/14 Boston Marathon 27th 2:20:55 10/13/13 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 39th 2:23:59 10/07/12 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 47th 2:26:28

Kazuya IshidaBirthdate: 09/12/84Citizenship: JapanResidence: FukuokaCoach: Tsuyoshi Arisumi Sponsor: Nishitetsu Personal recordsMarathon 2:11:57 (Nobeoka, 2011) Half marathon 1:04:12 (Tamana, 2008)

Career overviewKazuya Ishida started his professional running career in 2007, finally making his marathon debut in 2012 at the Nobeoka Marathon. He captured his first and only marathon career victory in his debut, clocking 2:11:57. Since then, he has struggled to reach the podium, and his times have ranged from 2:12 to 2:23. But Ishida started his 2016 campaign on a solid note – he came within 28 seconds of his PR at the Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon, finishing fourth in 2:12:25.

The 2016 Bank of America Chicago Marathon marks Ishida’s first Abbott World Marathon Majors competition, and his first time racing in the U.S. His goal is to run sub 2:10. During his peak training, Ishida logs up to 187 miles/week with a 31 mile long run.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 02/07/16 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon 4th 2:12:25 04/17/16 Nagano Marathon 7th 2:18:21

Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 04/17/16 Nagano Marathon 7th 2:18:21 02/07/16 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon 4th 2:12:25 02/02/14 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon 22nd 2:17:37 08/25/13 Sapporo Hokkaido Marathon 21st 2:22:25 09/16/12 Sydney Blackmores Marathon 4th 2:23:12 02/12/12 Nobeoka Marathon 1st 2:11:57

Tsegaye Kebede Birthdate: 01/15/87 Citizenship: Ethiopia Resides: Ethiopia Height: 5’2” Agent: Jos Hermens Sponsor: Nike

2008 Beijing Olympics Bronze Medalist 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon champion 2012-2013 Abbott World Marathon Majors series winner

Personal records Marathon 2:04:38 (Chicago, 2012) Half marathon 59:35 (Ras Al Khaimeh, UAE, 2008) Career overview The Independent once described Tsegaye Kebede as a “pocket-battleship clad in a blue vest – a runner with a boxer’s stance.” Kebede, an Olympic bronze medalist from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Marathon and a bronze medalist from the 2009 IAAF World Marathon Championships (he just missed the podium at the 2013 IAAF World Marathon Championships, finishing fourth), is one of the most accomplished and consistent marathoners of the last decade. The last time he toed the line in Grant Park in 2012 (after being left off of Ethiopia’s Olympic team), he won in a course record time and PR, 2:04:38 (Dennis Kimetto broke the course record the next year). Kebede made history for the first time in Chicago in 2010 when he and the late Sammy Wanjiru battled down Columbus Drive in what has become one of the greatest duels in the event’s history. Wanjiru beat Kebede to the line, but the battle between the two stars captured the true spirit of athletics.

In addition to his 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon win, Kebede has claimed victories in Paris (2008), Fukuoka (2008, 2009) and London (2010, 2013). Most recently, he finished fifth at the Rotterdam Marathon, dropping off the lead pack 30K into the race.

Kebede became the first non-Kenyan to win the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) when he took home the $500,000 prize for the 2012-2013 series. In 2013 he became the first man to place in the top five of three AWMM races in a single year. He has finished in the top three of an AWMM event 11 times, and he has placed in the top 10 of all 15 AWMM races he has run.

Although Kebede is almost exclusively a marathoner, he has run 27:56 for 10,000m and 59:35 for the half marathon.

Personal Kebede is the fifth of 13 children. He grew up extremely poor in Gerar Ber, Ethiopia, and he worked by gathering firewood, and later as a herder to help his family; he earned less than US $1. Just before his first marathon in Addis Ababa, a bus he was riding on went off the road, severely injuring several passen-gers. Kebede escaped with a minor leg wound and went on to win his debut race.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 4/10/16 Rotterdam Marathon 5th 2:10:56 Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 04/10/16 Rotterdam Marathon 5th 2:10:56 02/22/15 Tokyo Marathon 8th 2:07:58 09/28/14 Berlin Marathon 9th 2:10:27 04/13/14 London Marathon 3rd 2:06:30 11/03/13 New York City Marathon 2nd 2:09:16 08/17/13 Moskva IAAF World Championships 4th 2:10:47 04/21/13 London Marathon 1st 2:06:04 10/07/12 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 1st 2:04:38 CR* 04/22/12 London Marathon 3rd 2:06:52 11/06/11 New York City Marathon 3rd 2:07:13 04/17/11 London Marathon 5th 2:07:48 10/10/10 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 2nd 2:06:43 04/25/10 London Marathon 1st 2:05:19 12/06/09 Fukuoka International Marathon 1st 2:05:18 08/22/09 Berlin IAAF World Championships 3rd 2:08:35 04/26/09 London Marathon 2nd 2:05:20 12/07/08 Fukuoka International Marathon 1st 2:06:10 08/24/08 Beijing Olympic Games 3rd 2:10:00 04/06/08 Paris Marathon 1st 2:06:40 10/21/07 Amsterdam Marathon 8th 2:08:16 10/07/07 Addis Ababa Marathon 1st 2:15:53

* CR – Course Record, later broken by Dennis Kimetto in 2013.

Dennis Kimetto Birthdate: 01/22/84 Citizenship: Kenya Resides: Eldoret, Kenya Agent: Gerard Van de Veen Sponsor: Adidas

Marathon World record holder (2:02:57) Bank of America Chicago Marathon course record holder (2:03:45) 2013 Bank of America Chicago Marathon champion

Personal records Marathon 2:02:57 (Berlin, 2014) Half marathon 59:14 (Berlin, 2012) 25K 1:11:18 (Berlin, 2012)

Career overview Dennis Kimetto enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top, running the fastest marathon debut ever in Berlin in 2012, 2:04:16. In his tune-up race for his marathon debut, he set a 25K world record of 1:11:18 at the Berlin BIG 25K. He followed his debut record by taking down Tokyo’s course record in 2013, clocking 2:06:50 (later broken by Dickson Chumba). He recorded his first DNF in London in 2013, but reassured fans his dominance remained intact when he broke the Bank of America Chicago Marathon course record that fall, shaking off his final competitor, Emmanuel Mutai, in the 25th mile to come home at 2:03:45 (breaking Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede’s course record, 2:04:38, set in 2012).

Kimetto collected his second DNF at the 2014 Boston Marathon and then toed the line in Berlin that fail to register the most amazing performance in hu-man history at the 42K distance. Kimetto became the first person to run under two hours and three minutes, crossing the finish in 2:02:57. He subtracted 26 seconds from Wilson Kipsang’s previous mark. He ran half splits of 1:01:45 and 1:01:12 (the fastest second half in history on a record eligible course).

Kimetto – once described as a “boom or bust” runner by Letsrun.com - has struggled to reach the podium since his world record performance. He finished third at the 2015 London Marathon, and then failed to finish his next two marathons – the IAAF World Championships and Fukuoka. After some injury hic-cups, he was a non-factor this past spring in London, and he was left off of the Kenyan Olympic marathon team.

Personal Kimetto is a latecomer to the sport of professional running. Unlike many Kenyan runners, he did not begin his journey as a junior competitor. He started running in 2008, but he did not make his international debut until 2011, at age 27. Prior to his global debut, he worked as a farmer.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 02/7/16 Granollers Half Marathon 7th 1:04:5204/24/16 London Marathon 9th 2:11:44

Career marathons Date Race Place Time04/24/16 London Marathon 9th 2:11:4412/06/15 Fukuoka Marathon - DNF08/22/15 Beijing IAAF World Championships - DNF04/26/15 London Marathon 3rd 2:05:5009/28/14 Berlin Marathon 1st 2:02:57 WR04/21/14 Boston Marathon - DNF10/13/13 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 1st 2:03:45 CR04/21/13 London Marathon - DNF02/24/13 Tokyo Marathon 1st 2:06:5009/30/12 BMW Berlin Marathon 2nd 2:04:16

WR – World Record CR – Course Record

Gideon Kipketer Birthdate: 11/10/91 Citizenship: Kenya Agent: Valentijn Trouw Sponsor: Nike

Personal recordsMarathon 2:08:14 (Amsterdam, 2012)Half marathon 59:53 (Lille, 2012)

Career overview Gideon Kipketer started 2016 by making headlines at the Mumbai Marathon. Originally invited to pace the men’s elite field, he flew by the 30K mark (his stopping point) and decided to keep going. "My body felt good at 30km,” he later told reporters. “It was quite a challenging race . . . but I was properly hydrated and I knew I was capable of finishing the race." Kipketer’s decision to finish the race resulted in his first marathon victory, a new course record, 2:08:35, and a $56,000 payday.

Kipketer started his career as a junior competitor, finishing eighth at the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. After running four half mara-thons in 2012, with a personal best of 59:53, he made his marathon debut at the Amsterdam Marathon, finishing seventh in his still-standing personal best, 2:08:14.

Personal Kipketer is the brother of elite female runner, Valentine Kipketer, who is also competing in this year’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon elite athlete field. Both Gideon and Valentine have recorded victories at the Mumbai Marathon, and both hold the Mumbai Marathon course record.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 01/17/16 Mumbai Standard Chartered Marathon 1st 2:08:35 04/24/16 London Marathon - DNF 05/15/16 Bangalore TCS World 10K 8th 29:09

Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 04/24/16 London Marathon - DNF 01/17/16 Mumbai Standard Chartered Marathon 1st 2:08:35 11/01/15 Seoul JoongAng Marathon 2nd 2:09:01 04/26/15 Hamburg Marathon 5th 2:09:34 10/19/14 Amsterdam Marathon 11th 2:18:59 04/06/14 Paris Marathon 6th 2:10:36 02/23/14 Tokyo Marathon - DNF 02/24/13 Tokyo Marathon 12th 2:10:41 10/21/12 Amsterdam Marathon 7th 2:08:14

Micah Kogo Birthdate: 6/30/86 Citizenship: Kenya Residence: Kaptagat, Kenya Agent: Michael Skinner Sponsor: Adidas

2008 Beijing Olympics Bronze Medalist, 10,000m2009 Road 10K World record holder, 27:01

Personal recordsMarathon 2:06:56 (Chicago, 2013)Half marathon 59:07 (South Shields, 2012) 10,000m 26:35.63 (Bruxelles, 2006)

Career overview Micah Kogo made his international debut in 2005 and quickly established himself as a track specialist. He picked up two silver medals (2007, 2009) and a bronze medal (2008) in the 5000m at the IAAF World Athletics finals. He is the sixth fastest man in history over the 10,000m, putting him in the company of running legends like Haile Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele and Paul Tergat. He took home a bronze medal in the 10,000m in his Olympic Games debut in Beijing, and he followed that performance by breaking Gebreselassie’s 10K road world record in 2009 at the Parelloop 10K in the Netherlands, running 27:01 (Kenyan Leonard Komon broke the 10K road world record a year later, but Kogo ranks second all-time).

In his marathon debut at the 2013 Boston Marathon, Kogo was among the leading trio until the final straightaway, when he lost in a sprint finish to Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa. He came to the windy city a few months later, eager to land atop the podium, and finished fourth in his personal best, 2:06:56. In spite of his wins at the Beach to Beacon 10K in 2011 and 2013, a major championship gold medal continues to elude him, and outside of his debut at the Boston Marathon, he has failed to make the top three in his last six marathons.

In March, Kogo ran the Paris Marathon, hoping to punch his ticket to Rio. He finished fourth in 2:08:03 and was not selected to the Kenyan team. Like Kimetto, Kogo is back in Chicago contending for the win.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 02/12/16 Ras Al Khaimah International Half Marathon 12th 1:02:23 04/3/16 Paris Marathon 4th 2:08:03

Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 04/03/16 Paris Marathon 4th 2:08:03 10/25/15 Frankfurt Marathon 10th 2:10:24 04/26/15 Hamburg Marathon 7th 2:10:37 11/02/14 New York Marathon 14th 2:18:36 04/21/14 Boston Marathon 17th 2:17:12 10/13/13 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 4th 2:06:56 04/15/13 Boston Marathon 2nd 2:10:27

Jose MaderaBirthdate: 09/23/91Citizenship: United StatesResidence: Anaheim, CASponsor: Sketchers Performance Twitter: @Maderaxc23

Personal recordsMarathon 2:17:26 (Los Angeles, 2016)Half marathon 1:06:33 (Carlsbad, 2016)

Career overview Jose Madera has not been racing on the professional circuit for a long time, but he has been a force to be reckoned with since graduating from the Univer-sity of San Francisco in 2015. His most impressive finish to date took place at this year’s Los Angeles Marathon. He ran a three minute PR to finish seventh overall in 2:17:26; he was the first American to stop the clock. He made his marathon debut in 2015 with a 12th place finish at the California International Marathon.

Madera holds the USF’s record in the 10,000m, and he was an NCAA DI Track and Field West Regionals qualifier in the 10,000m in 2013, 2014 and 2015. He was also an NCAA DI Cross Country National Championships individual qualifier in 2015. Madera made an immediate impact as a freshman – he was named the 2010 West Conference Freshman of the Year.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 01/17/16 Carlsbad Half Marathon 5th 1:06:33 02/14/16 Los Angeles Marathon 7th 2:17:26 03/11/16 Eagle Rock Oxy Distance Carnival Spring Break Classic 9th 14:22.4 05/01/16 Newport Beach Orange County Half Marathon 2nd 1:07:10 06/05/16 San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon 7th 1:06:52

Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 02/14/16 Los Angeles Marathon 7th 2:17:26 12/06/15 California International Marathon 12th 2:20:32

Ryoichi MatsuoBirthdate: 08/02/91Citizenship: JapanResidence: Nobeoka, Miyazaki Pref. Coach: Tadayuki OjimaSponsor: Asahi Kasei

Personal recordsMarathon 2:12:11 (Nobeoka, 2014) Half marathon 1:04:13 (Osaka, 2016)

Career overviewRyoichi Matsuo arrives in Chicago after starting 2016 with a pair of victories at the Osaka Half Marathon and the Nobeoka Marathon. After making his marathon debut in 2012 in 2:18:15, he has steadily improved, dropping his personal best to 2:12:11 to finish second at the 2014 Nobeoka Marathon. Mat-suo ran four marathons in 2015, but has slowed his pace in 2016, running just one 42K race so far this year.

Matsuo has only raced one marathon outside of Japan: Paris in 2013. The 2016 Bank of America Chicago Marathon marks his first time racing in the U.S. and his first appearance at an Abbott World Marathon Majors event. Like Ishida, Matsuo trains up to 187 miles/week with a 31 mile long run. He says his hardest workout is running 25K (15.5 miles) in the morning and 30K (18.6 miles) in the afternoon for a total of 55K or 34 miles in one day.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 01/31/16 Osaka Half Marathon 1st 1:04:13 02/14/16 Nobeoka Marathon 1st 2:15:09

Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 02/14/16 Nobeoka Marathon 1st 2:15:09 12/06/15 Fukuoka Marathon 22nd 2:20:45 08/30/15 Sapporo Hokkaido Marathon 7th 2:18:56 03/01/15 Otsu Lake Biwa Marathon 12th 2:15:20 02/01/15 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon 11th 2:13:39 08/31/14 Sapporo Hokkaido Marathon 2nd 2:16:32 04/20/14 Nagano Commemorative Marathon 4th 2:15:50 02/09/14 Nobeoka Marathon 2nd 2:12:11 04/07/13 Paris Marathon 21st 2:16:28 02/10/13 Nobeoka Marathon 17th 2:19:48 11/23/12 Otawara Marathon 1st 2:16:55 04/15/12 Nagano Olympic Commemorative Marathon 6th 2:18:15

Tony MigliozziBirthdate: 07/21/89Citizenship: United StatesResidence: North Canton, OHTwitter: @tmigliozzi 2015 50K World champion

Personal recordsMarathon 2:17:27 (Houston, 2015)Half marathon 1:09:20 (Ohio, 2015)

Career overview Tony Migliozzi once decaled in an interview, “The more miles the merrier!” After posting a pair of 2:17 marathons in 2015, including a 15th place finish at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Migliozzi nailed his debut at the IAU 50K World Championships in Doha, Qatar to close out the year. He won in 2:52:08 (5:32/mile), leading the U.S. men’s team to a silver medal and recording the sixth fastest 50K time ever by a North American.

Migliozzi entered St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Ohio as a football player, but quickly realized his stamina might translate well to the track and the grass. His cross country team went from being one of the worst in the state to state champions his junior and senior year. Migliozzi went on to compete at Malone University where he contributed to Malone’s NAIA cross country championship his sophomore year. He also made his 26.2 mile debut at the NAIA marathon his junior year, taking second place in 2:28:32.

Migliozzi experienced a tough race in his first appearance at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. He dropped out shortly after he hit the halfway mark in over 70 minutes.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials - DNF04/03/16 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K 13th 24:1105/01/16 Pittsburgh Marathon 4th 2:21:13 Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 05/01/16 Pittsburgh Marathon 4th 2:21:13 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials - DNF10/11/15 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 15th 2:17:44 05/03/15 Pittsburgh Marathon 7th 2:24:44 03/07/15 Albany Marathon 4th 2:21:39 01/18/15 Houston Marathon 11th 2:17:27 10/19/14 Columbus Marathon 3rd 2:20:53 10/05/14 St. Paul Twin Cities Marathon 11th 2:18:32 10/20/13 Columbus Marathon 4th 2:24:01 10/07/12 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 36th 2:23:28 05/28/11 NAIA Marathon Championships 2nd 2:28:32

Jonathan MottBirthdate: 02/20/87Citizenship: United StatesResidence: Babson Park, FL

Personal recordsMarathon 2:18:12 (Houston, 2015)Half marathon 1:05:47 (Houston, 2014)

Career overview Jonathan Mott races often on the local scene in Florida, and he has spent the past few years establishing himself at the popular Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic. He typically races the 15K on Saturday and then turns around and runs the half marathon on Sunday. From 2013-2015, he consistently won either the 15K or the half. Mott missed the Gasparilla Distance classic this year for a good reason: he ran in his first U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Mott was initially disappointed after he set his marathon PR in Houston, 2:18:12, because it was 12 seconds short of the “B” standard. However, due to a change in the Olympic Games entry standards for the marathon (announced December 11, 2015), the “B” standard was revised to 2:19:00 and Mott was in. In just his second marathon, he finished in the top 50 on a day that saw many more experienced runners drop out.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 47th 2:27:04 03/13/16 Sarasota Half Marathon 1st 1:15:54 04/16/16 Legoland Brick dash 5K 1st 15:20 05/07/16 Mayfair Classic 5K 1st 15:14 05/14/16 Miles for Moffit 10K 1st 31:52 06/12/16 Run for the Pies 5K 1st 15:48 06/25/16 Summer Sunrise Watermelon 5K 1st 16:19 07/03/16 Kiwanis Morton Plant Mease Midnight Run 5K 1st 16:16 07/03/16 Kiwanis Morton Plant Mease Midnight Run 10K 1st 33:59 Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 47th 2:27:04 01/18/15 Houston Marathon 13th 2:18:12

David NilssonBirthdate: 04/16/87Citizenship: Sweden

Personal recordsMarathon 2:17:19 (Rotterdam, 2015)Half marathon 1:04:11 (Venlo, 2015)

Career overviewDavid Nilsson is one of the most versatile runners in this year’s elite field, racing distances on the track and the road from 1500m to the marathon. In 2015, he raced 23 times, including four half marathons and two marathons. He represented Sweden at the 2015 IAAF World Championships Marathon, and at the 2016 Amsterdam European Half Marathon Championships. He is experiencing a banner year, setting PRs in the 2000m indoors (5:23.61); 3000m (8:09.45); 5000m indoors (14:03.28); and 10K road (29:01). His recent accomplishments show that he has both the speed and endurance to make a state-ment on October 9.

Nilsson comes from a talented family of athletes. His parents competed at an elite level, and his brother and two sisters have competed on Swedish na-tional teams. At the 2002 Swedish cross country championships, the Nilssons collectively took home four gold medals, one silver and one bronze.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 01/15/16 Huddinge Scandic Indoor Games 3000m 1st 8:24.8 01/30/16 Boston John Thomas Terrier Classic 5000m 5th 14:03.3 02/05/16 New York Armory Track Invitational 3000m 2nd 8:10.9 02/13/16 Gent IFAM Meeting 2000m 5th 5:23.6 03/13/16 Manchester Trafford 10K 2nd 29:01 03/20/16 Laredo 10K 7th 29:42 05/14/16 Alleröd Nordic Challenge 10,000m 1st 29:32.9 07/10/16 Amsterdam European Half Marathon Championships 23rd 1:05:16 Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 08/22/15 Beijing IAAF World Championships 36th 2:31:23 04/12/15 Rotterdam Marathon 16th 2:17:19 08/17/14 Zürich European Championships - DNF 05/31/14 Stockholm Marathon 11th 2:27:00 05/04/14 Vancouver Marathon 3rd 2:27:46 6/02/13 Stockholm Marathon 11th 2:25:45 12/16/12 Pisa Marathon 4th 2:21:04 06/03/12 Stockholm Marathon 9th 2:28:53 12/18/11 Castellón Marathon 11th 2:21:25 05/28/11 Stockholm Marathon 10th 2:23:59

Luke PuskedraBirthdate: 02/08/90Citizenship: United StatesResidence: Eugene, OR Twitter: @lukepuskedra

Personal recordsMarathon 2:10:24 (Chicago, 2015)Half Marathon 1:01:29 (Houston, 2016)

Career overview “With 10K to go, just get on the pony and ride. I was all-out, I think. I imagined myself to be Usain Bolt, but probably looked like Luke Puskedra out there.” – Luke Puskedra, 2015 Bank of America Chicago Marathon post-race interview

Luke Puskedra arrived in Grant Park last year with a 2:15:27 PR and the confidence that he was ready to exchange that time for a much better one. In a race without pacesetters for the first time in more than two decades, Puskedra settled into the lead pack, his lanky 6’4” inch frame towering over the much smaller runners around him. With a calm cadence, he passed the half in 1:05:13, and he remained in the lead group until Dickson Chumba threw down a 4:35 20th mile to shake things up. Puskedra kept a consistent, steady pace, enough to run a five-minute PR, 2:10:24, earn a top five finish and turn in the fastest time by an American in 2015. Puskedra became just the sixth American over the last two decades to score a top five finish at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

Puskedra also finished 2015 as the comeback story of the year: after a highly anticipated, but disappointing debut at the 2014 New York City Marathon (2:28:54), he briefly quit the sport and gained 23 pounds. But he didn’t give up. He slowly climbed his way back up. He was a favorite to make the 2016 Olympic marathon team, but he finished one spot off the podium in fourth place – his Olympic dream deferred until 2020.

Puskedra graduated from the University of Oregon in 2012, where he was an 11-time NCAA All-American; he made a seamless transition to the roads even before he finished his collegiate career as a Duck. During his senior year, he turned heads with his half marathon debut in Houston, finishing in fourth place in 1:01:36 (he broke that PR this year).

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 01/17/16 Houston Half Marathon 4th 1:01:2902/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 4th 2:14:12

Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 4th 2:14:1210/11/15 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 5th 2:10:2406/20/15 Duluth Grandmas Marathon 6th 2:15:2711/02/14 New York Marathon 36th 2:28:54

Stephen Sambu Birthdate: 07/07/88 Citizenship: Kenya Residence: Tucson, AZ Coach: James Li Agent: Karen Locke Sponsor: Nike Twitter: @Sksambu 8K Road world record holder2015 and 2016 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K champion

Personal recordsMarathon debut Half marathon 1:00:41 (Boston, 2013) 10,000m 26:54.61 (Eugene, 2014) 8K Road (world record) 22:01.1 (Boston, 2014)

Career overview Stephen Sambu, a native of Kenya living and training in Arizona, stands out as one of the strongest competitors on the road racing circuit today. He is mak-ing his highly anticipated marathon debut at the 2016 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, following in the footsteps of some of racing’s biggest legends to make their marathon debuts here, including Steve Jones, Khalid Khannouchi, Ondoro Orso, Evans Rutto and Ejegayehu Dibaba.

Sambu ran into the record books in 2014 when he posted a 22:01.1 8K en route to a 10K victory at the B.A.A. 10K. He made his debut in the windy city at the 2015 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K, running uncontested to clock the fastest time in more than a decade and the 12th fastest time in the event’s history (23:03). He returned in 2016 on the heels of capturing a victory at the New York City Half Marathon to run the fourth fastest time in the event’s history, 22:45, beating his nearest challenger by 66 seconds.

Prior to bursting onto the professional road running circuit, Sambu spent some time in Illinois at Rend Lake Junior College where he captured 10 individual national championships, including two NJCAA national cross country titles. He finished his career at the University of Arizona as a nine-time NCAA All-Amer-ican, and the 2011 PAC 10 10,000m champion and the 2012 PAC 12 10,000m champion. Sambu holds PRs of 13:13 in the 5,000m, 26:54 in the 10,000m and 1:00:41 in the half marathon. His 10K best on the road, 27:25, is the 18th fastest time in history.

Athlete quote “I am excited to make my first marathon appearance in Chicago because of the strong history of runners making their debut here. I’m training very hard and can’t wait to race in front of the fans. I love the flat streets of the city and I look forward to coming back.”

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 02/05/16 Portland USA High Performance Meet 3000m 6th 7:51.702/28/16 San Juan World’s Best 10K 3rd 27:48:0003/20/16 New York Half Marathon 1st 1:01:1604/03/16 Bank of America Chicago Shamrock Shuffle 8K 1st 22:45 04/16/16 Boston B.A.A. 5K 3rd 13:4405/01/16 Palo Alto Payton Jordan Invitational 5000m 5th 13:21.105/27/16 Eugene Prefontaine Classic 10,000m 4th 26:58.306/30/16 Eldoret Kenyan Olympic Trials 5000m 10th 13:52.7

Andy Sherman Birthdate: 09/02/81 Citizenship: Great Britain Resides: Indianapolis, IN Twitter: @AndySherman

Personal recordsMarathon debut Half marathon 1:05:23 (Indianapolis, 2014)

Career overview Andy Sherman performed internationally as a British junior cross country runner before heading to the United States to attend Butler University. Sherman performed well as a Bulldog, breaking school records in the 800m and 1500m. He was named Horizon League Indoor Track Athlete of the Year in 2005, and ESPN The Magazine named him to the Academic All-America team selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America).

Sherman struggled with injuries in 2015 and only raced three times. He trains with British runner Tom Anderson, who is also making his marathon debut at this year’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

2016 races No races in 2016

Daniel Wallis Birthdate: 11/11/87 Citizenship: New Zealand Resides: Colorado Springs, CO Twitter: @danwallis11

Personal recordsMarathon debut Half marathon 1:05:34 (Philadelphia, 2014)

Career overview Daniel Wallis is a New Zealand runner based in Colorado Springs, CO. He is hoping to use his marathon debut in Chicago as a springboard to being selected to represent New Zealand at the IAAF World Championships Marathon. Wallis’ 2016 highlights include a win at the Great Edinburgh 10 Mile run in 51:11 and a sixth place finish at the Spar Great Ireland Run 10K.

Wallis was a standout runner at Napier Boys High School in New Zealand, where he set a school record in the 3000m. He moved to the U.S. to run for the Colorado State Rams.

2016 racesDate Race Place Time 01/17/16 Houston Half Marathon 38th 1:06:2404/10/16 Spar Great Ireland Run 10K 6th 30:3704/17/16 Great Edinburgh 10 Mile 1st 51:1106/18/16 Duluth Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon 19th 1:09:02

Tim YoungBirthdate: 03/22/87Citizenship: United StatesResidence: Fredericksburg, VACoach: Luke HumphreyAgent: Chris MengelTwitter: @Young_Runs

Personal recordsMarathon 2:14:40 (Chicago 2014)Half marathon 1:03:44 (Columbus, 2016)

Career overviewTim Young, a 2009 graduate of James Madison University, seems to stay a bit under the radar when it comes to discussions of top U.S. runners. After struggling with injuries as a full-time professional runner with the Hansons-Brooks from 2010 to 2012, Young packed his bags, took some time off and started working full-time as an IT computer technician. He spent 2013 rehabbing and rebuilding and kicked off 2014 with PRs in both the marathon and half marathon. He lined up in Chicago that fall with renewed confidence, and ran another PR, 2:14:40, finishing 14th in a strong field.

Young’s Chicago performance earned him a spot on the 2015 U.S. Pan American Marathon team, and it made him a legitimate contender for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Marathon team. Young didn’t make it to Rio, but he finished 11th at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials on a day that saw 46% of the men’s field drop out of the race. Two months after the Trials, Young set a PR in the half marathon, 1:03:44.

Young is a three-time winner and course record holder of the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon in Washington, D.C. In 2011, he set a new half-marathon course record at the Disney Half-Marathon. Former teammate and Hansons-Brooks runner, Luke Humphrey, currently coaches Young.

2016 RacesDate Race Place Time 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 11th 2:17:09 04/30/16 Columbus U.S. Half Marathon Championships 6th 1:03:44 07/04/16 Atlanta Peachtree Road Race 13th 30:57 Career marathonsDate Race Place Time 02/13/16 Los Angeles U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 11th 2:17:09 07/25/15 Toronto Pan American Games 6th 2:19:34 10/12/14 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 14th 2:14:40 01/19/14 Houston Marathon 10th 2:15:14 04/16/12 Boston Marathon - DNF 01/14/12 Houston U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon - DNF 10/10/10 Bank of America Chicago Marathon 16th 2:19:01 11/14/09 Richmond SunTrust Marathon 3rd 2:25:19