Liliya Shobukhova next to try the Chicago Marathon three-peat
When she lines up for Sunday’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Liliya Shobukhova will attempt to do something that has never been accomplished in the 34-year history of the race — a three-peat.
While standout men and women have tried three-peating to no avail, seven women and five men have earned back-to-back championships.
Kenyan Catherine Ndereba won in 2000 and ’01 but finished second in 2002.
Evan Rutto notched back-to-back wins in 2003-04, but took fourth in 2005.
The all-time Chicago Marathon leader with four victories, Khalid Khannouchi, wasn’t able to do it, either.
Shobukhova’s quest to three peat will be one of the major storylines when 45,000 runners take to the streets for the 26.2-mile race.
An added incentive for the Russian marathon record holder is that a victory would also seal her standing atop the 2010-11 World Marathon Majors (WMM) leaderboard and the $500,000 share of the $1 million prize purse.
“Liliya has a chance to do something very historic,” said Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski. “No one has ever done this before. That is a testament to how competitive it is. There is a lot of pressure on her to run herself into the record book and to defend her WMM title.
“All eyes will be on her. She is a great competitor and knows how to get ready. She has been very successful in Chicago.”
“Each year that I return to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon I feel more popular there, the crowds recognize me and I am more familiar with the course,” Shobukhova said. “This will help me run faster and possibly set another record, which is especially important in my preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games next summer.”
Shobukhova is coming off a runner-up finish at the 2011 Virgin London Marathon, where she improved her Russian record to 2:20:15.
She will be challenged by Ethopian Askale Tafa (personal-best 2:21:31) and fellow Russians Inga Abitova (2:22:19) and Maria Konovalova (2:23:49).
The men’s race features a rematch between Moses Mosop of Kenya and American Ryan Hall, who battled at the Boston Marathon in April. In his first marathon, Mosop finished second in 2:03:06, the fastest ever by first-timer, while Hall was fourth in a career-best 2:04:58.
This will be Hall’s Chicago Marathon debut. He withdrew from last year’s event and took an extended break because of fatigue.
Hall could challenge the American record of 2:05:38 by Khannouchi and the course record of 2:05:41 held by Kenya’s Sammy Wanjiru.
“I am excited to line up at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon at full strength, which I unfortunately wasn’t able to do last year,” Hall said. “Every time I race against a world class field I learn more about myself and continue to evolve as an athlete.”
“We are all very excited to have Ryan Hall back. He had a fantastic performance (in Boston),” Pinkowski said.
“Ryan is a phenomenal athlete — one of the all-time great Americans.”
“It will be thrilling to watch him attack our flat and fast course with the support of the Chicago crowd behind him.”
Mosop and Hall should be pushed by sub-2:06 Ethopians Bazu Worku (2:05:25) and Getu Feleke (2:05:44) and 2008 Chicago Marathon champion Evans Cheruiyot (2:06:25) of Kenya and Kenyan Wesley Korir, two-time winner of the Los Angeles Marathon. Korir has finished in the top 10 three times in Chicago, including fourth last year.