Pitayo Wins Chicago Marathon by a Step Over Niemczak in 2:09:41

CHICAGO — Martin Pitayo of Mexico beat Poland’s Antoni Niemczak by a step to win the Chicago Marathon Sunday.

The pair matched strides after they took the lead at the 24-mile mark from Mexico’s Dionicio Ceron, who was running his first marathon.

In the final 100 yards, Niemczak took a half-step lead, but Pitayo caught him, moved ahead and lunged forward at the finish line to win in 2 hours 9 minutes 41 seconds.

“In the last 10 meters, I pulled ahead and I knew then I was stronger than him,” Pitayo said through a translator.

Pitayo’s time bettered his previous personal best of 2:10:27 in the 1984 Chicago Marathon.

Niemczak, who had the same time as the winner, also beat his previous personal best of 2:10:34. Rex Wilson of New Zealand finished third in 2:10:48, followed by Ake Eriksson of Sweden in 2:10:53 and American Ed Eyestone in a personal-best 2:10:59.

Portugal’s Aurora Cunha led all the way in winning the women’s division in 2:30:11. Canada’s Carole Rouillard was second in 2:32:28, followed by Midde Hamrin of Sweden in :34:27, Helen Moros of New Zealand in 2:34:37 and American Kellie Cathey in 2:35:58.

At race time, it was 40 degrees.