Sifan Hassan, who won the London Marathon on her debut this year, will seek the Chicago Marathon title tomorrow ©Getty Images

Sifan Hassan and Kelvin Kiptum, respective women’s and men’s winners of this year’s London Marathon, will challenge defending champions Ruth Chepngetich and Benson Kipruto in tomorrow’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

The women’s race looks particularly captivating in what is set to be the fifth of this season’s World Marathon Majors races, with the New York City running scheduled for November 5.

Chepngetich, whose winning time of 2hours 14min 18sec last year was second only to the then world record of 2:14:04 set on the same course three years earlier by Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei, is seeking a third consecutive win in the Windy City.

The 2019 world champion won the Nagoya Marathon earlier this year in 2:18:08 and more recently clocked 1:06:18 at the Buenos Aires Half Marathon.

But nothing is certain when Hassan, who stopped twice to stretch during what was her marathon debut in London before making up a 25-second gap to win in 2:18:33, is involved.

The 30-year-old Dutch runner, who earned Doha 2019 world titles at 1500 and 10,000 metres and Tokyo 2020 golds at 5,000 and 10,000m, is likely to be a similarly volatile and potent presence in tomorrow’s race against one of the greatest female marathon runners in history.

Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich, pictured winning last year's Chicago Marathon title in the second fastest time ever run, will seek a third consecutive title tomorrow ©Getty Images
Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich, pictured winning last year's Chicago Marathon title in the second fastest time ever run, will seek a third consecutive title tomorrow ©Getty Images

"As most people know, I like to be challenged," said Hassan.

"I have the experience from London so I'm looking forward to see what the marathon can teach me this time."

The women’s field is stacked with talent, however.

Joyciline Jepkosgei, winner of the 2021 London Marathon and 2019 New York City Marathon, will make her Chicago debut, and Tadu Teshome of Ethiopia is the second-fastest woman in the field having run 2:17:36 at last year’s Valencia Marathon.

Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia, the former world 1500m record holder, made her marathon debut in Amsterdam last year, clocking 2:18:05, but failed to finish in London this year.

Compatriot Sutume Kebede was another non-finisher in London, but she has a best of 2:18:12 and will be a contender.

Other notable Ethiopian competitors include this year’s London Marathon runner-up Megertu Alemu and 2019 Chicago runner-up Ababel Yesheneh.

Last year's runner-up Emily Sisson is among the US entries for the women's elite race at the Chicago Marathon ©Getty Images
Last year's runner-up Emily Sisson is among the US entries for the women's elite race at the Chicago Marathon ©Getty Images

The host nation will be represented by Emily Sisson, who finished runner-up last year in 2:18:29, beating the North American record by 43 seconds, Olympic bronze medallist Molly Seidel, 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden and 2021 Chicago runner-up Emma Bates.

Like Chepngetich, Kipruto won in Chicago last year in a super-fast time, in his case 2:04:04, and he followed up by finishing third in the Boston Marathon.

Kenya's latest running revelation Kiptum, whose winning time of 2:01:25 in London - only his second marathon -  was the second fastest time in history and just 16sec shy of Eliud Kipchoge’s world record, will be making his US marathon debut.

Ethiopia’s Seifu Tura - winner in Chicago in 2021 and runner-up last year - will return for the third consecutive year.

Belgium’s world and Olympic bronze medallist Bashir Abdi - winner of this year’s Rotterdam Marathon - is also in the line-up and is the second-fastest entrant in terms of personal bests.

Conner Mantz and Galen Rupp, the Rio 2016 bronze medallist, lead the US elite entries.