South Africa’s Adriaan Wildschutt finished 25th at the Chicago Marathon after making an encouraging start to his first race over the distance.
The 27-year-old recorded a time of 2:11:23 on Sunday, having reached halfway in 1:02:32. His early pace placed him on course to challenge the South African marathon record, but he could not maintain that speed during the second half.
Wildschutt’s performance fell short of the goals he had set before the race, although it provided an important first benchmark as he begins his transition from track and shorter road races to the marathon.
He had already shown strong form over the half marathon this year, setting a South African national record with a time of 59:13 on his debut in Valencia. In March, he also won the NYC Half.
The Chicago result gives Wildschutt a reference point for future marathon attempts as he looks to build on his achievements over shorter distances and establish himself in longer-distance racing.
His brother, Nadeel Wildschutt, also started the men’s race in Chicago, targeting a personal best.
Nadeel reached the halfway point in 1:03:41 and appeared set for a competitive finish. However, he suffered severe cramp shortly after the 25km mark and was forced to withdraw from the race.
Neither brother achieved the result they had hoped for, but both treated the event as part of their development as long-distance runners. Adriaan completed his first marathon, while Nadeel was unable to finish after making a strong start.
Kenya’s Amos Kipruto won the men’s race in 2:01:09.
In the women’s event, Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa claimed her second consecutive title after finishing in 2:13:33.
