Chicago Marathon is back in 2021

The Chicago Marathon is back in 2021 after the 2020 edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some 35,000 professional and amateur runners hit the road in Grant Park in downtown Chicago early Sunday morning to kick off the 43rd edition of the annual Chicago Marathon, the third of five World Marathon Majors scheduled for 2021 between late September and early November.

Seifu Tura from Ethiopia won the men's elite championship in 2 hours 6 minutes and 12 seconds, while Ruth Chepngetich from Kenya won the women's elite championship in 2:22:31.

All participants are required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the race; and are required to wear a mask when in rooms and sheds before and after the game.

The route of the Chicago Marathon this year cuts across 29 districts in Chicago with a total length of 26.2 miles or 42.16 km.

The Chicago Marathon is a world-class running event ever since it was officially launched on September 25, 1977. Nearly 2,000 Chinese runners participated in the 2019 edition.