Farah wins at Chicago in third marathon start

Chicago, Oct. 7: Britain’s Mo Farah won the Chicago Marathon with a spectacular finishing surge Sunday, shattering the European record to serve notice his distance- racing dominance is far from over.

In only his third marathon start, Farah won in 2hr 5min 11sec under cool and rainy conditions to defeat Ethiopia’s Mosinet Geremew by 13sec with Japan’s Suguru Osako third in 2: 05: 50.

“It was amazing to cross the line first,” said Farah, who pumped his fists and blew kisses to the crowd as he neared the finish line.

The 2012 and 2016 Olympic and three- time world 5,000 and 10,000meter champion, who switched to the marathon distance a year ago, became the first British man to win at Chicago since Paul Evans in 1996.

Farah smashed the former European mark of 2: 05: 48 set by Norwegian Sondre Nordstad Moen in Fukuoka last December and easily improved on his former British record and personal best of 2: 06: 22 from a third- place showing at London in April.

Farah’s marathon debut was an eighth- place showing at London in 2014, his only prior competitive test at the distance until six month ago.

In slick and windy weather that was far from ideal, novice marathoner Farah averaged 4: 46 miles and delivered the eighth- best time in Chicago Marathon history.

“The conditions weren’t great and everyone was thinking about conditions rather than time,” Farah said. But toward the end we picked it up. I felt good toward the end of the race. At the beginning I felt a bit sluggish but overall I’m very happy.”

The 35- year- old Somaliaborn Briton stayed with the lead pack most of the race, fell back at 30 kilometers but charged directly back among the leaders then outlasted every rival to the finish, dispatching Geremew with a strong closing kick.

Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei won the women’s title in 2: 18: 35, also a personal best. Ethiopia’s Roza Dereje was second in 2: 21: 18 with compatriot Shure Demise third in 2: 22: 15. Each champion took a top prize of $ 100,000.

In the first major marathon since Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge smashed the world record in Berlin last month in 2: 01: 39, Farah stole the show in what was billed as a battle with his former training partner, 2017 Chicago winner Galen Rupp of the United States.

Farah and Rupp weathered the wet and windy conditions that greeted 45,000 runners, hanging in a pack behind the pacesetters that battled early headwinds.