beijing marathon surprise winner as white runner takes the crown

At 8:30 PM Beijing time on October 8,the Chicago Marathon, one of the six major world marathons,started with a bang. American runner Galen Rupp won the men's marathon, while Ethiopian runner Tirunesh Dibaba won the women's marathon.

Having skipped the London Marathon, World Championships in London, and Berlin Marathon to focus on the Chicago Marathon, American running star Rupp defeated several African runners in the final stages to claim the men's title. This is the first time since 2002 that a white runner has won the Chicago Marathon.

For many years, we have been accustomed to African runners dominating marathon races. But today at the Chicago Marathon, Rupp won the championship almost without suspense. Was Rupp's victory unexpected or anticipated? Let's find out~

Rupp creates a miracle at the Chicago Marathon

The Chicago Marathon has a long history, and this year marks its 40th edition. Over the years, 740,000 runners have completed the race. This year, 1,263 runners from China participated, more than double the number from last year, setting a new record.

The increase in Chinese runners is attributed to their 'personal promotion' and the close connection with Chinese culture during the race, according to the Chicago Marathon executive director.

This year's Chicago Marathon also attracted many top runners, including Berlin Marathon record holder Dennis Kimetto. After setting the world record in 2014, Kimetto took a long break due to injuries, and his comeback results have been less than ideal. He hopes to prove himself in this race.

The 40th Chicago Marathon attracted many runners, including defending champion Abel Kirui, world record holder Kimetto, Stanley Biwott, American star Rupp, and women's defending champion Florence Kiplagat. The men's leading group completed the first 5 kilometers in 15 minutes and 43 seconds.

Halfway through the race, official statistics showed that the men's half marathon time was 65 minutes and 49 seconds, and the women's time was 68 minutes and 48 seconds. Without elite pacers, the men's pace was slower than other major marathons.

At the 25-kilometer mark, the number of runners in the men's leading group began to decrease. World record holder Kimetto suffered a thigh injury around the 23-kilometer mark, affecting his pace. By the 35-kilometer mark, only three runners remained in the men's leading group, while Dibaba led the women's race alone. At the 40-kilometer mark, Rupp led Kirui by 15 seconds, a significant advantage. Rupp finished in 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 19 seconds.

In the women's race, Dibaba won with a time of 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 30 seconds. Without elite pacers, this is an excellent result, considering the women's marathon world record is 2 hours, 17 minutes, and 1 second.

Rupp's victory may seem surprising, but his competitive form has been on the rise for the past two years. As the runner-up in this year's Boston Marathon and the current top American marathoner, Rupp comes from the Oregon Project training camp. In every marathon he has run, he has set a personal best and stood out against African runners.

Rupp's victory is no accident

Although still relatively young, Rupp has long been recognized as the best active American marathoner. He won a bronze medal in the marathon at last year's Rio Olympics. If you think a bronze medal is insignificant, you're mistaken; he won it after competing in the 10,000 meters.

Even the event's champion, Nike's Breaking2 athlete and world-class runner Eliud Kipchoge, did not compete in both events at the Rio Olympics, highlighting Rupp's impressive abilities. Additionally, he always wears a white, perforated outfit that seems to help with cooling, as he did in today's Chicago Marathon.

Rupp and female runner Jordan Hasay both achieved excellent results in this year's Boston Marathon, finishing second in the men's race and third in the women's race, respectively. This follows Rupp's third-place finish in the men's marathon at the Rio Olympics, proving his victories are no fluke.

He is the new hope for American marathons

Born on May 8, 1986, in Portland, Oregon, Rupp originally enjoyed playing soccer. In high school, he was discovered by coach Alberto Salazar, who provided meticulous guidance, leading Rupp to shine in track and cross-country events.

At last year's Rio Olympics, Rupp left a special memory for the world. British gold medalist Mo Farah was competing in the 10,000 meters when he collided with American runner Galen Rupp, which could have ended Farah's chances of defending his title.

However, after ensuring Farah was not injured, Rupp encouraged his friend and training partner to return to the race. Farah went on to win the gold medal, while Rupp finished fifth. Farah later said in an interview, 'Rupp is a sportsman of high moral character.'

Rupp's 'sudden rise' offers hope to solve the crisis of a lack of successors in American marathons. In recent years, flagbearer Meb Keflezighi has been aging, while Ryan Hall and Dathan Ritzenhein have retired or been injured. As the fourth-strongest marathon nation after Kenya, Ethiopia, and Japan, the U.S. was on the verge of having no successors.

There have been many successful transitions from track long-distance runners to marathoners, including Ethiopian 'Emperor of Long Distance' Haile Gebrselassie and former 'World Marathon Man' Kipchoge. Of course, there have also been less successful transitions, such as Mo Farah and Kenenisa Bekele. Rupp's future performance remains worth watching.