John Kipkosgei Korir, the younger sibling of former Cherangany Member of Parliament Wesley Korir, will be making his Chicago Marathon debut on October 9, 2022.
Kipkosgei will be seeking to better Wesley’s performances in the Abbott World Marathon Majors on Sunday.
He has enjoyed a fine run since breaking into the limelight in 2018. In his first professional race at the 2018 Ottawa Marathon, he clocked 2:09.14 to register a second-place finish.
Also Read: Father Who Helped Son Cross Finish Line at Olympics Dies
After a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic, Kipkosgei returned to action with a win during the 2021 Los Angeles Marathon.
He clinched the title in 2:12.47 ahead of compatriot Edwin Kimutai and Eritrean international Amanuel Mesel.
Kimutai and Mesel crossed the finishing line in 2:18.01 and 2:18.17, more than five seconds slower than Korir.
The 25-year-old defended his Los Angeles title in March this year, in the process equaling his elder brother’s record of two successful wins in the streets of the American City - Wesley bagged the Los Angeles Marathon in 2009 and 2012.
On the other hand, despite Wesley winning several races during his prime years, he only managed to secure a single Abbott World Marathon Majors title.
He did so at the 2012 Boston Marathon edition, overcoming brutal temperatures to reach the tape in 2:12.40.
In the 2011 Chicago Marathon edition, Wesley narrowly missed his second World Marathon Majors title when he finished second behind Moses Mosop.
Mosop reached the tape in 2:05.37 while Wesley clocked 2:06.15 ahead of another Kenyan representative Benard Kipyego who crossed the finishing line in 2:06.29.
Besides achieving great feats in individual races, Wesley also represented Kenya in various international competitions.
He was part of the Kenyan squad that took part in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games staged in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
After retiring from active athletics, Wesley represented the residents of Cherangany Constituency in the August house between 2013 and 2017.At the recently concluded elections, he unsuccessfully tried to recapture the seat.
Other Kenyan road runners who are set to compete in the streets of Chicago include Benson Kipruto, 2021 Boston Marathon winner Eric Kiptanui, Elisha Rotich and 2013 World Athletics Championship participant Benard Koech.
The Ethiopian trio of Asrar Abderehman, Jemal Yimer and Shifera Tamru will also be in contention.
The Chicago Marathon is the last leg of the 2022 Abbott World Marathon Majors series.
Also Read: I Will Try One More Time to Smash Kipchoge’s World Record - Kenenisa Bekele