British athletics star Mo Farah won the Chicago Marathon men's title on Sunday in an unofficial time of 2hr 5min 11sec, shattering a European record with a spectacular finishing surge. The world and Olympic 5,000 and 10,000-meter champion became the first British man to capture the event since Paul Evans in 1996.
The 35-year-old Somalia-born Briton claimed the biggest victory since he turned his attention to the distance a year ago to defeat Ethiopia's Mosinet Geremew by 13 seconds with Japan's Suguru Osako third in 2:05:50. The former European record of 2:05:48 was set by Norwegian Sondre Nordstad Moen in Fukuoka last December.
Farah stayed with the lead pack most of the race, fell back at 30 kilometers but charged directly back among the leaders then outlasted every rival to the finish, dispatching Geremew with a closing kick on rain-soaked streets in cool and breezy conditions. Kenya's Brigid Kosgei won the women's title in 2:18:35.