Ethiopian athletes Tadese Takele and Sutume Kebede won the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively, at the Tokyo Marathon. Takele set a personal best, while Kebede celebrated her second consecutive victory. Cheptegei transitioned successfully from track to marathon with a notable finish, and Radcliffe returned to competitive running after ten years. No Canadians participated in elite categories.
Ethiopian runners Tadese Takele and Sutume Kebede achieved victory in their respective divisions at the Tokyo Marathon held on a near-perfect spring day in Japan. Takele clocked a personal best of 2:03:23, outpacing runner-up Deresa Geleta, who finished in 2:03:51. Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich from Kenya finished third with a time of 2:04:00.
On the women’s side, Kebede maintained a lead throughout the race, securing her second consecutive Tokyo Marathon title with a finish time of 2:16:31. Kenya’s Winfridah Moraa Moseti followed closely behind in 2:16:56, while Ethiopian runner Hawi Feysa completed the podium in 2:17:00. Kebede had set a Japanese all-comers’ record of 2:15:55 at last year’s event.
In the men’s race, the top Japanese finisher was Tubasa Ichiyama, who placed 10th with a time of 2:06:00, while Yuka Ando achieved the same rank in the women’s race, clocking 2:23:37. Notably, there were no Canadian entrants in the elite categories for either race.
Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, who previously excelled on the track with world records in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, announced he is done competing on the track. Cheptegei transitioned to the marathon, having debuted in 2023 with a finish of 37th in Valencia at a time of 2:08:59.
At the Tokyo Marathon, Cheptegei aimed to match the pace of Benson Kipruto, the men’s defending champion, ultimately finishing ninth with a time of 2:05:56, just behind Kipruto. Additionally, British athlete Paula Radcliffe returned to competitive marathon running after a decade, completing the race in 2:57:26 and targeting participation in all six major marathons.
Overall, the Tokyo Marathon showcased dominant performances by Ethiopian athletes in both men’s and women’s divisions, with Takele and Kebede solidifying their statuses. Cheptegei made a commendable entry into marathon racing, while Radcliffe’s return adds an inspiring narrative to the event. The marathon results underscore the high competitive standards and the emergence of new talented runners.
Original Source: www.cbc.ca
