Fourteen years after her last official marathon, Tegla Loroupe is back for what she calls “her final stride” in Chicago on 12 October.
The Kenyan athlete, who became the first African woman to win the New York Marathon in 1994, has expressed her desire to make a final call for her retirement.
She believes that Chicago, a city where she never competed as a professional athlete, would be a fitting conclusion to her illustrious career.
“As a pioneer for peace, women’s rights, and education through Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation, I’ve run not just for glory, but for a better world. Now, after an extraordinary journey conquering the world’s elite marathons, I am lacing up for the final stride,” she said through a statement released by her Foundation.
“On October 12, 2025, I’ll blaze through the streets of Chicago, closing this legendary chapter with the same fire that ignited historic wins in New York, London, Berlin, Boston, and beyond.”