Elite international field returns for Chicago Marathon

Both the men's and women's defending champions will return to race in the 40th Chicago Marathon on Oct. 8, race officials announced Wednesday.

Heading an elite field for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon are defending champions Abel Kirui (Kenya) and Florence Kiplagat (Kenya). Joining the challenge are marathon and course record-holder Dennis Kimetto (Kenya); half marathon world record-holder Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea); and three-time Olympic gold medalist, current 5,000-meter world record-holder Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia).

"We wanted to put together a field this year that combined some of the best international and American athletes competing on the global stage today," said Carey Pinkowski, executive race director. "We have our defending champions back, the marathon and half marathon world record-holders, and a woman who has stood on top of more podiums than anyone else in the field. I expect to see some great performances."

Last year, Kirui held off 2015 champion Dickson Chumba to win by three seconds and claim his first Abbott World Marathon Majors win.

Kimetto returns to Chicago for the first time since setting the course record in 2013 with a time of 2:03:45.

Kiplagat returns to the Chicago stage to chase her third title in a row. Her winning time from last fall, 2:21:32, was the 13th-fastest women's time in Chicago Marathon history.

Here's a list of the elite international runners scheduled to compete, and their personal best marathon times:

Men's international fieldDennis Kimetto (KEN): 2:02:57 (Berlin, 2014)

Abel Kirui (KEN): 2:05:04 (Rotterdam, 2009)

Kohei Matsumura (JPN): 2:08:09 (Tokyo, 2014)

Zersenay Tadese (ERI): 2:10:41 (London, 2012)

Yuki Takamiya (JPN): 2:10:57 (Tokyo, 2016)

Jordan Chipangama (ZAM): 2:11:35 (Duluth, 2015)

Chihiro Miyawaki (JPN): 2:11:50 (Tokyo, 2014)

Ryoichi Matsuo (JPN): 2:12:11 (Nobeoka, 2014)

Stephen Sambu (KEN): 2:13:35 (Chicago, 2016)

Women's international fieldTirunesh Dibaba (ETH): 2:17:56 (London, 2017)

Florence Kiplagat (KEN): 2:19:44 (Berlin, 2011)

Madaí Pérez (MEX): 2:22:59 (Chicago, 2006)

Valentine Kipketer (KEN): 2:23:02 (Amsterdam, 2013)

Lisa Weightman (AUS): 2:25:15 (London, 2017)

Karolina Nadolska (POL): 2:26:31 (Osaka, 2014)

Jessica Draskau Petersson (DEN): 2:30:07 (Chicago, 2015)

Rocio Cantara Rojas (PER): 2:37:05 (New York, 2015)