Newcastle wheelchair racer Kurt Fearnley has finished second in a close end to the Chicago Marathon.
The Australian finished less than a metre behind winner Ernst Van Dyk.
Van Dyk and Fearnley broke away over the last 200m with Van Dyk crossing the line less than a wheel in front of Fearnley.
“I put everything I had into it and thought I might just get there but Ernie (Van Dyk) had that little bit extra at the end,” Fearnley said.
“I put in an extra burst up the hill with a few hundred to go to try and drop the big fella but he held on.”
“Ernie is a hell of a competitor and there’s no shame in losing to him, it was a great race and a great sprint from him.”