Kenya's Kimetto Sets Record to Win Chicago Marathon

Dennis Kimetto of Kenya broke the course record today in capturing the Chicago Marathon, and compatriot Rita Jeptoo was the women's winner in the first major US marathon since the Boston bombings. Kimetto finished in 2 hours, 3 minutes, 45 seconds, leading a 1-2-3 finish for Kenyan men. He beat the mark of 2:04:38 set by Ethiopia's Tsegaye Kebede last year. He pulled away from Emannuel Mutai over the last few miles and was all alone with both arms raised as he crossed the finish line. It was his second major victory this year to go with a win at Tokyo in February.

Before the race, there was a 30-second moment of silence to honor the victims of the Boston bombings. Mutai (2:03:52), the 2011 London winner, also beat Kebede's time but finished seven seconds off the lead. Sammy Kitwara (2:05:16) was third. Jeptoo followed up her victory at Boston by easily taking the women's race, finishing in 2:19:57, with no one nearby as she turned into Grant Park. Jemima Sumgong Jelegat of Kenya (2:20:48) was second, followed by Maria Konovalova of Russia (2:22:46). The winners each earned $100,000. Kimetto gets an additional $75,000 for the course record, while Jeptoo gets another $40,000 for finishing under 2:20:00. The Department of Homeland Security designated the marathon a "level two" event, a notch below massive gatherings such as the Super Bowl. (More Chicago Marathon stories.)