Atsede Baysa Wins Near Photo Finish at 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
American Renee Metivier Baillie Enjoys Successful Marathon Debut as She's Now #8 All-Time in US History
By Mike Knapp and LetsRun.com
October 7, 2012
After 26.2 miles, the 2012 Bank of American Chicago Marathon nearly came down to a photo finish.
Atsede Baysa of Ethiopia and Kenyan Rita Jeptoo battled all the way to the tape before Baysa crossed the line just ahead of Jeptoo to win her first Marathon Major and sixth of her career.
The finish was super tight. As Baysa hit the finishing mat, she put her hands up just as Jeptoo made one final push. Jeptoo ended up going by Baysa just after the finish and then acted like she won. The uncertainty on who won was quickly put to rest. Although Baysa and Jeptoo originally showed the same chip time of 2:22:04, video review showed Baysa clearly crossed the line first and she was awarded the win and a time of 2:22:03, which was a one-second personal best ahead of her time in Paris in 2010. Jeptoo also improved on her previous personal best, a 2:23:38 she recorded while winning the Boston Marathon in 2006. The finish was the closest on the women's side since Joyce Chepchumba beat Margaret Okayo by one second in 1999.
The win was Baysa's six marathon win of her career, her first Marathon Major, and redemption for her run in Chicago in 2010 where Baysa ran out to a big lead before dropping back and finishing a disappointing second.
"In 2010 I made a mistake by going out too fast," Baysa said through a translator. "Today I ran to win the race and I'm happy to win the Chicago Marathon."
Lucy Kabuu was third in 2:22:41.
**** Photo of Finish
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Baysa On Left |
Baysa on the Right |
**** Renee Metivier Bailllie's Debut A Success
The marathon debut of American Renee Metivier Baillie was incredibly successful as she ran 2:27:17 which ties her with 2012 US Olympian Amy Hastings at #8 on the all-time US list.
"This is my first marathon and I didn't know what to expect," Baillie said. "I had high expectations but also had a healthy fear of the distance. I started picking it up after halfway through 21 miles, but being a new marathoner I had some troubles. At mile 22 I had some cramps in my left calf, and I tried to hang on the best I could."
For more on 30-year old Metivier Baillie, we recommend you read a mid-September Runnersworld article on her here. Metivier Baillie has been rejuvenated this year after having achilles surgery last year. Prior to today's run, she had won the US 20k champs in New haven after finishing in the top 5 at Bach To Beacon and top 10 at Falmouth.
Top 10 Fastest US Marathoners In History
| 1 | 2:19:36 | Deena Kastor | 4/23/2006 |
| 2 | 2:21:21 | Joan Samuelson | 10/20/1985 |
| 3 | 2:25:38 | Shalane Flanagan | 1/14/2012 |
| 4 | 2:25:53 | Kara Goucher | 11/2/2008 |
| 5 | 2:25:55 | Desireé Davila | 1/14/2012 |
| 6 | 2:26:22 | Magdalena Lewy Boulet | 4/11/2010 |
| 7 | 2:27:10 | Marla Runyan | 11/3/2002 |
| 8 | 2:27:17 | Renee Metivier Baillie | 10/7/2012 |
| 8 | 2:27:17 | Amy Hastings | 1/14/2012 |
| 10 | 2:27:35 | Francie Larrieu Smith | 4/21/1991 |
***
Dot McMahan (2:32:11) and Stephanie Pezzullo (2:32:42) rounded out the top 10 for the United States.
McMahan missed out on a personal best by 23 seconds, but her time earned her first top 10 at Chicago after placing 23rd (2006) and 17th (2010) in her two previous efforts here.
**** Jeptoo is Back
Jeptoo won the 2006 Boston Marathon, but she hadn't broken 2:25:44 since. This was a big step up for her.
****
Top 30 results from today's Chicago race appear below. After that you can see the top 30 half-way splits.
Top 30 Women's Finishers 2012 Chicago Marathon
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1 |  |
Baysa, Atsede (ETH) | 203 | 25-29 | 25 | 05:25 | - | +00:00 | 02:22:03 |  |
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2 |  |
Jeptoo, Rita (KEN) | 205 | 30-34 | 31 | 05:26 | - | +00:01 | 02:22:04 | |
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3 |  |
Kabuu, Lucy (KEN) | 202 | 25-29 | 28 | 05:27 | - | +00:38 | 02:22:41 | |
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4 | |
Shobukhova, Liliya (RUS) | 201 | 30-34 | 34 | 05:28 | - | +00:56 | 02:22:59 | |
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5 | |
Rotich, Caroline (KEN) | Waldorf, MD | 207 | 25-29 | 28 | 05:28 | - | +01:19 | 02:23:22 | |
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6 | |
Konovalova, Maria (RUS) | 206 | 35-39 | 38 | 05:34 | - | +03:35 | 02:25:38 | |
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7 | |
Sado, Fatuma (ETH) | 208 | 20-24 | 20 | 05:35 | - | +04:06 | 02:26:09 | |
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8 | |
Metivier Baillie, Renee (USA) | 212 | 30-34 | 30 | 05:37 | - | +05:14 | 02:27:17 | |
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9 | |
McMahan, Dot (USA) | 211 | 35-39 | 35 | 05:49 | - | +10:08 | 02:32:11 | |
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10 | |
Pezzullo, Stephanie (USA) | 214 | 30-34 | 30 | 05:50 | - | +10:39 | 02:32:42 | |
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11 | |
Bracy, Addie (USA) | 218 | 25-29 | 26 | 06:10 | - | +19:26 | 02:41:29 | |
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12 | |
Stucky, Raquel (USA) | Pretty Prairie, KS | 322 | 35-39 | 37 | 06:11 | - | +20:05 | 02:42:08 | |
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13 | |
Ardrey, Deanna (USA) | 217 | 25-29 | 29 | 06:15 | - | +21:34 | 02:43:37 | |
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14 | |
Tollefson, Lindsay (USA) | Mammoth Lakes, CA | 216 | 25-29 | 27 | 06:15 | - | +21:49 | 02:43:52 | |
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15 | |
Gray, Lory (USA) | Waltham, MA | 340 | 30-34 | 32 | 06:17 | - | +22:22 | 02:44:25 | |
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16 | |
Braswell, Erica (USA) | Birmingham, AL | 317 | 30-34 | 32 | 06:22 | - | +24:50 | 02:46:53 | |
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17 | |
Smith, Lucinda (USA) | Kensington, MD | 315 | 30-34 | 31 | 06:23 | - | +25:08 | 02:47:11 | |
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18 | |
Gerspacher, Rosemarie (CAN) | Calgary, AB | 262 | 35-39 | 36 | 06:24 | - | +25:22 | 02:47:25 | |
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19 | |
Heckert, Kristen (USA) | Lisle, IL | 268 | 25-29 | 25 | 06:25 | - | +25:53 | 02:47:56 | |
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20 | |
Lifka, Tammy (USA) | Glen Ellyn, IL | 314 | 40-44 | 42 | 06:27 | - | +26:59 | 02:49:02 | |
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21 | |
Goebel, Jennifer (USA) | San Mateo, CA | 384 | 30-34 | 30 | 06:32 | - | +28:57 | 02:51:00 | |
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22 | |
Fiduccia, Christina (USA) | Chicago, IL | 336 | 25-29 | 26 | 06:32 | - | +29:10 | 02:51:13 | |
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23 | |
Chaney, Emily (USA) | Huntington, WV | 302 | 30-34 | 30 | 06:33 | - | +29:18 | 02:51:21 | |
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24 | |
Ford, Kara (USA) | Broomfield, CO | 299 | 30-34 | 34 | 06:34 | - | +29:52 | 02:51:55 | |
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25 | |
Cullen, Cathy (CAN) | Winnipeg, MB | 261 | 30-34 | 32 | 06:34 | - | +30:04 | 02:52:07 | |
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26 | |
Marsh, Lynn (USA) | North Vernon, IN | 306 | 25-29 | 26 | 06:34 | - | +30:09 | 02:52:12 | |
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27 | |
Kato, Stephanie (USA) | San Jose, CA | 359 | 20-24 | 24 | 06:35 | - | +30:14 | 02:52:17 | |
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28 | |
Bradshaw, Kate (USA) | Seattle, WA | 304 | 30-34 | 31 | 06:35 | - | +30:19 | 02:52:22 | |
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29 | |
Selert, Kir (USA) | New York, NY | 275 | 25-29 | 25 | 06:35 | - | +30:26 | 02:52:29 | |
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30 | |
Carlson, Chellie (USA) | Chicago, IL | 23466 | 30-34 | 32 | 06:36 | - | +30:42 | 02:52:45 | |
Top 30 Women's Halfway Splits
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1 | |
Shobukhova, Liliya (RUS) | 201 | 30-34 | 34 | 05:28 | - | +00:00 | 01:11:15 | |
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2 | |
Konovalova, Maria (RUS) | 206 | 35-39 | 38 | 05:34 | - | +00:00 | 01:11:15 | |
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3 | |
Baysa, Atsede (ETH) | 203 | 25-29 | 25 | 05:25 | - | +00:00 | 01:11:15 | |
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4 | |
Mohammed, Merima (ETH) | 204 | 20-24 | 20 | 05:27 | 02:22:34 | +00:01 | 01:11:16 | |
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5 | |
Kidane, Werknesh (ETH) | 209 | 30-34 | 31 | 05:29 | 02:23:27 | +00:01 | 01:11:16 | |
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6 | |
Sado, Fatuma (ETH) | 208 | 20-24 | 20 | 05:35 | - | +00:01 | 01:11:16 | |
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7 | |
Rotich, Caroline (KEN) | Waldorf, MD | 207 | 25-29 | 28 | 05:28 | - | +00:01 | 01:11:16 | |
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8 | |
Jeptoo, Rita (KEN) | 205 | 30-34 | 31 | 05:26 | - | +00:01 | 01:11:16 | |
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9 | |
Kabuu, Lucy (KEN) | 202 | 25-29 | 28 | 05:27 | - | +00:01 | 01:11:16 | |
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10 | |
Gebre, Belainesh (ETH) | 210 | 20-24 | 24 | 05:39 | 02:28:10 | +01:34 | 01:12:49 | |
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11 | |
Metivier Baillie, Renee (USA) | 212 | 30-34 | 30 | 05:37 | - | +01:46 | 01:13:01 | |
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12 | |
Pezzullo, Stephanie (USA) | 214 | 30-34 | 30 | 05:50 | - | +04:50 | 01:16:05 | |
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13 | |
McMahan, Dot (USA) | 211 | 35-39 | 35 | 05:49 | - | +04:50 | 01:16:05 | |
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14 | |
Bracy, Addie (USA) | 218 | 25-29 | 26 | 06:10 | - | +05:30 | 01:16:45 | |
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15 | |
Williams, Sharon (USA) | Frisco, TX | 51746 | 40-44 | 44 | 05:53 | 02:34:13 | +05:52 | 01:17:07 | |
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16 | |
Ardrey, Deanna (USA) | 217 | 25-29 | 29 | 06:15 | - | +07:38 | 01:18:53 | |
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17 | |
Stucky, Raquel (USA) | Pretty Prairie, KS | 322 | 35-39 | 37 | 06:11 | - | +09:03 | 01:20:18 | |
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18 | |
Gerspacher, Rosemarie (CAN) | Calgary, AB | 262 | 35-39 | 36 | 06:24 | - | +09:04 | 01:20:19 | |
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19 | |
Weber, Anna (USA) | Bloomington, IN | 281 | 20-24 | 24 | 06:17 | 02:44:45 | +09:37 | 01:20:52 | |
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20 | |
Tollefson, Lindsay (USA) | Mammoth Lakes, CA | 216 | 25-29 | 27 | 06:15 | - | +10:11 | 01:21:26 | |
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21 | |
Braswell, Erica (USA) | Birmingham, AL | 317 | 30-34 | 32 | 06:22 | - | +10:13 | 01:21:28 | |
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22 | |
Gray, Lory (USA) | Waltham, MA | 340 | 30-34 | 32 | 06:17 | - | +10:33 | 01:21:48 | |
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23 | |
Lockyer, Karen (NZL) | Lake Charles, LA | 352 | 30-34 | 34 | 06:36 | - | +10:44 | 01:21:59 | |
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24 | |
Keating, Paula (CAN) | Miramichi, NB | 258 | 45-49 | 46 | 06:52 | 02:59:41 | +11:36 | 01:22:51 | |
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25 | |
Lifka, Tammy (USA) | Glen Ellyn, IL | 314 | 40-44 | 42 | 06:27 | - | +11:53 | 01:23:08 | |
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26 | |
Smith, Lucinda (USA) | Kensington, MD | 315 | 30-34 | 31 | 06:23 | - | +12:05 | 01:23:20 | |
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27 | |
Khalili, Stephanie (USA) | Schaumburg, IL | 23087 | 25-29 | 28 | 06:38 | - | +12:12 | 01:23:27 | |
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28 | |
Heckert, Kristen (USA) | Lisle, IL | 268 | 25-29 | 25 | 06:25 | - | +12:12 | 01:23:27 | |
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29 | |
Montes, Columba (MEX) | Chicago, IL | 270 | 30-34 | 33 | 06:41 | - | +12:22 | 01:23:37 | |
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30 | |
Kvasnicka, Susannah (USA) | Great Falls, VA | 309 | 40-44 | 40 | 06:25 | 02:48:14 | +12:52 | 01:24:07 | |
More:
LRC: American Dathan Ritzenhein Runs a 2:07:47 PR to Finish 9th at 2012 Chicago Marathon
LRC Men's Recap: Tsegaye Kebede is Back As He Runs 2:04:38 to Crush Chicago Marathon Course Record
*Live Chicago Marathon Thread *Ritz 9th in 2:07:47
*Recap and Analysis from Our Friends at the Sports Scientists Blog
Mike Knapp is a free-lance writer based in Aurora, IL. Knapp has been a regular LetsRun.com visitor ever since he spotted the LetsRun.com jersey at the Chicago Marathon in 2001.
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