At the Bank of America Chicago Marathon press conference, held on a Friday, the analysis highlights three protagonists: Hawi Feysa, Sharon Lokedi and Brigid Kosgei. Hawi Feysa is presented as an Ethiopian athlete who has moved from cross-country and track athletics to the road after several injuries.
The article places Hawi Feysa in a recent, highly marathon-focused history: she won the 2025 Chicago edition in 2:14.57, then joined the sub-2h15 performances club. The story also adds that she won the Frankfurt Marathon in 2:17.25 and finished third at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships marathon.
As for Brigid Kosgei, the article points to her return to Chicago after her last visit in 2019. That year, she set a women’s world record for the mixed relay with 2:14.04. The text also recalls that she won Chicago in 2018 and 2019, before following up with successes in London (2019, 2020) and then in Tokyo (2021, 2022).
For Sharon Lokedi, the author describes her as the runner to watch among the three, depending in particular on the weather conditions: if it’s hot, Sharon Lokedi is cited as the most likely candidate. The story also mentions two wins in Boston (2021 and 2022) and a standout example from 2025, when she beats Hellen Obiri by 19 seconds.
Finally, the article lays out a tactical scenario and specific preparation: Stephen Haas, manager/coach of Sharon Lokedi, explains that Sharon is preparing for hard races of 35 km up to the finish. He concludes by stressing the idea that a real duel is expected, whatever the conditions, and points readers to viewing options (Peacock and NBC 5 Chicago, with Flotrack in the UK).
