Two-time Olympics marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei Sunday won the Tokyo Marathon men’s and women’s races in new course record times.
Kipchoge won the race in 2 hours 02 minutes and 40 seconds breaking the previous record set in 2017 by fellow countryman Wilson Kipsang of 2:03:58.
Kosgei on her part broke at the 35km mark to finish in 2 hours 16 minutes and 2 seconds shattering Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter’s time of 2:17:45.
Kipchoge proved to the world that he is still the man to beat after maintaining a pace that saw some of his competitors fall off one by one after the pacemakers dropped.
World marathon bronze medalist Amos Kipruto emerged second after clocking his personal best time of 2:03:13, while Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola finished third in 2:04:14.
Kipchoge pulled away from Kipruto at around the 35km mark but was unable to beat the 2:01.39 he clocked at the 2018 Berlin marathon.
Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata, who beat Kipchoge to win the 2020 London Marathon, finished fifth.
The race was now left with a pack of six athletes who started dropping after the 21km mark when the first pacemaker Noah Kipkemboi dropped.
At the 25km mark, Philemon Kacheran another pacemaker dropped as Kipchoge increased his pace with Ethiopia’s Tamirat hanging on for some few kilometres before he threw in the towel at the 30km mark.
“I’m really happy. I’m excited again to be in Japan, especially after winning the Olympic Games last year in Sapporo,” Kipchoge said.
“I really, really, really appreciate the crowd. I think the Japanese are really helpful. That’s why I say in the press that I run strong in Japan.”
Kipchoge was making his Tokyo debut in one the six major marathons alongside New York, Berlin, Chicago, London and Boston.
He has already won in London, Chicago and Berlin and it is one of his career objectives to land all six.
Kipchoge said in January that he would be seeking to make it a record-breaking three consecutive Olympic titles at Paris 2024.
In the women’s race, Ethiopians Ashete Bekere (2:17:58) and Gotytom Gebreslase (2:18:18) finished second and third respectively, while kebta’s Angela Tanui settled for fourth position after timing in 2:18:42.
“The weather was good and I enjoyed the race. I’m happy to have clocked a course record time, but my target was to run 2:14 which I believe is still achievable and I shall be working on that in the near future. The results were good due to good preparations back at home,” said Kosgei.
Both Kipchoge and Kosgei have earned themselves 25 points in the Abbott World Marathon Majors.
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