The 22-year-old Ethiopian will hope to succeed Mare Dibaba as the winner of the race, with her compatriot having been awarded the 2014 victory after the initial winner Rita Jeptoo of Kenya was stripped of the title after a positive drug test for Erythropoietin (EPO).

Birhane Dibaba is set to face strong competition from her team-mates Mulu Seboka, Yebrgual Melese and Amane Gobena in the elite women’s race, while Kenya’s Florence Kiplagat will be hoping to see off their challenge and earn her first win at the event.

American fans will have the opportunity to support 11 home female athletes including 58-year-old Joan Benoit Samuelson, who won the first ever women’s Olympic marathon at Los Angeles 1984, as well as Athens 2004 bronze medallist Deena Kastor.

“My goal has always been to run as fast as I can for as long as I can,” Samuelson said.

“I continue to challenge myself with new goals and look within myself for the story I want to tell at the race.

"My challenge for this year’s Chicago Marathon is to run within 30 minutes of my fastest marathon and 1985 Chicago Marathon finishing time.”

With last year’s men’s winner Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya set to miss the race, having just triumphed at the Berlin Marathon, his compatriot Sammy Kitwara will be vying to top the podium following his second place finish in 2014.

He will expect to come under pressure from fellow Kenyan Dickson Chumba and Ethiopia’s Endeshaw Negesse, with the pair winning the Tokyo Marathon in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

The wheelchair races are also expected to feature high level competition with South Africa’s Ernst Van Dyk, Australia’s Kurt Fearnley and Switzerland’s Marcel Hug set to provide a fierce challenge to the home favourite Joshua George in the men’s event, while America’s Tatyana McFadden will begin as the clear favourite in the women’s competition.

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