The 2025 Tokyo Marathon was dominated by Ethiopian runners, with Tadese Takele winning the men’s race in 2:03:23 and Sutume Kebede defending her women’s title at 2:16:31. Benson Kipruto finished sixth after being the previous year’s champion. Kenyan runners struggled with only Vincent Kipkemoi finishing third. Total prize money for the marathon was set at $286,000.
The 2025 Tokyo Marathon showcased Ethiopian runners dominating the events, with athletes claiming both the men’s and women’s titles while Kenyan competitors faced hardships. Tadese Takele emerged victorious in the men’s race, clocking a personal best of 2:03:23, making him the youngest winner in the marathon’s history at age 22.
Benson Kipruto, who was defending his title after winning in 2024 with a record-setting time of 2:02:16, finished sixth this year with a time of 2:05:46. This was the first time since the 2020 London Marathon that the 33-year-old Kenyan did not place in the top three.
Kenyan Vincent Kipkemoi finished as the best performer from his country, coming in third with a time of 2:04:00, just behind Ethiopia’s Deleta Geresa, who finished second with 2:03:51. Other notable Kenyan performances included Titus Kipruto, who was fourth at 2:05:34, and debutant Geoffrey Toroitich, who finished seventh, tied in time with Kipruto.
The Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei, a world champion in the 10,000 meters, struggled and placed ninth with a PB of 2:05:59. Also, two-time Tokyo Marathon winner Birhanu Legese returned to competition, finishing 11th at 2:06:06.
In the women’s race, Sutume Kebede of Ethiopia defended her title successfully, finishing in 2:16:31. She becomes the first woman to win consecutive Tokyo Marathons and the second to win the race twice overall since Birhane Dibaba.
Kenya’s Winfridah Moraa came in second, clocking a personal best of 2:16:56. The Ethiopian Hawi Feysa followed Moraa to finish third with a time of 2:17:00, while Magdalyne Masai finished fourth (2:19:28) and Rosemary Wanjiru, who was a previous winner, placed fifth in 2:19:57.
The marathon awarded a total prize money of $286,000. The winners in both categories received $78,100 each as a part of this prize pool. Here are the top 10 finishers from both races:
Men’s Top Ten Finishers:
1. Tadese Takele (ETH) – 2:03:23
2. Deleta Geresa (ETH) – 2:03:51
3. Vincent Kipkemoi (KEN) – 2:04:00
4. Titus Kipruto (KEN) – 2:05:34
5. Mulugeta Asefa Uma (ETH) – 2:05:46
6. Benson Kipruto (KEN) – 2:05:46
7. Geoffrey Toroitich (KEN) – 2:05:46
8. Suldan Hassan (SWE) – 2:05:57
9. Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) – 2:05:59
10. Tubasa Ichiyama (JPN) – 2:06:00
Women’s Top Ten Finishers:
1. Sutume Kebede (ETH) – 2:16:31
2. Winfridah Moraa (KEN) – 2:16:56
3. Hawi Feysa (ETH) – 2:17:00
4. Magdalyne Masai (KEN) – 2:19:28
5. Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN) – 2:19:57
6. Desi Jisa Mokonin (BRN) – 2:20:07
7. Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH) – 2:20:25
8. Deshun Zhang (CHN) – 2:20:53
9. Jessica Stenson (AUS) – 2:22:56
10. Yuka Ando (JPN) – 2:23:37
The 2025 Tokyo Marathon highlighted the exceptional performance of Ethiopian runners, with Tadese Takele becoming the youngest winner and Sutume Kebede defending her title. Kenyan competitors faced challenges with only Vincent Kipkemoi placing in the top three for men and Winfridah Moraa achieving a strong performance for women. The event’s overall field displayed remarkable talent across nationalities, signifying the competitive nature of marathon running.
Original Source: eastleighvoice.co.ke
