Bank of America Chicago Marathon 1990 ballot: 13th edition
Mexico's Martin Pitayo edged Poland's Antoni Niemczak by three-tenths of a second to win the 13th Chicago Marathon on 28 October 1990, both timed at 2:09:41 in what the race record books call the closest finish in American marathon history.
What made 1990 notable
The 1990 race was decided by inches. Mexico's Dionicio Ceron, fresh off a world half-marathon record, made a bold move past halfway and built what looked like a winning lead. Behind him, Martin Pitayo and Antoni Niemczak ran the Pole and the Mexican down together, caught Ceron, and turned the finish into a two-man sprint down Columbus Drive. Niemczak grabbed a one-step edge near the line, but Pitayo shifted left and lunged, taking it by three-tenths of a second. Both were timed at 2:09:41, the closest finish in American marathon history at the time. Niemczak set a Polish national record. Portugal's Aurora Cunha won the women's race in 2:30:11.
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Time qualifier standards
View full age-group standards
| Age group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 2:50:00 | 3:20:00 |
| 35-39 | 2:55:00 | 3:25:00 |
| 40-44 | 3:00:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:10:00 | 3:40:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:15:00 | 3:50:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:25:00 | 3:55:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:40:00 | 4:15:00 |
| 65-69 | 3:55:00 | 4:30:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:15:00 | 4:45:00 |
| 75-79 | 4:30:00 | 5:00:00 |
| 80-84 | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 |
| 85-89 | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 |
| 90+ | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 |
Questions about the 1990 ballot
Who won the 1990 Chicago Marathon?
Mexico's Martin Pitayo won the men's race in 2:09:41, beating Poland's Antoni Niemczak by three-tenths of a second, with New Zealand's Rex Wilson third in 2:10:48. Portugal's Aurora Cunha won the women's race in 2:30:11, ahead of Canada's Carole Rouillard in 2:32:28 and Sweden's Midde Hamrin in 2:34:27.
Why was the 1990 Chicago Marathon notable?
Pitayo edged Niemczak by three-tenths of a second with both timed at 2:09:41, which the Bank of America Chicago Marathon record books call the closest finish in American marathon history at the time. Pre-race favourite Dionicio Ceron led past halfway before fading to ninth, and Niemczak set a Polish national record in second place.
How close was the 1990 Chicago Marathon men's finish?
Three-tenths of a second. Both Pitayo and Niemczak were timed at 2:09:41. It remains the second-closest finish in event history, behind only Patrick Ivuti's 0.05-second win over Jaouad Gharib in 2006.
Did the 1990 Chicago Marathon use a ballot or lottery?
No. The 1990 race used open, first-come registration rather than a non-guaranteed entry drawing, so no ballot acceptance rate or application count exists for this edition. Chicago did not introduce a lottery until 2014.