Ethiopians Tadese Takele and Sutume Kebede won the men’s and women’s races at the Tokyo Marathon, achieving remarkable personal best times. Takele finished in 2:03:23 and Kebede in 2:16:31, leading their respective fields. Notable performances from other athletes included Joshua Cheptegei’s strong marathon debut and Paula Radcliffe’s return after a decade.
In an impressive display of endurance, Ethiopians Tadese Takele and Sutume Kebede triumphed in the Tokyo Marathon, with both athletes achieving remarkable personal bests on a splendid spring day in Japan. Takele secured victory in the men’s category, completing the race in a personal-best time of 2:03:23. He was followed closely by fellow Ethiopian Deresa Geleta, who finished in 2:03:51, while Kenyan Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich placed third in 2:04:00.
In the women’s division, Kebede showcased her dominance by leading from start to finish, earning her second consecutive Tokyo Marathon title with a time of 2:16:31. She was trailed by Kenya’s Winfridah Moraa Moseti in 2:16:56 and Ethiopian Hawi Feysa in 2:17:00. Kebede previously set a Japanese all-comers’ record of 2:15:55 in last year’s marathon.
Among Japanese competitors, Tubasa Ichiyama finished as the top male runner in 10th place with a time of 2:06:00, while Yuka Ando was the leading female Japanese finisher, also placing 10th in 2:23:37. Notably, there were no Canadian participants in the elite races this year.
Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda, a celebrated track athlete with multiple Olympic gold medals, announced that he is concluding his track career after shifting to marathon running. After debuting in the marathon earlier this year, Cheptegei finished ninth in Tokyo with a personal best of 2:05:56 while pacing with defending champion Benson Kipruto.
In a noteworthy appearance, former world record holder Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain competed in her first marathon in a decade, finishing in 2:57:26. Radcliffe, 51 years old, aims to participate in the Boston Marathon next month as part of her goal to complete all six major marathons, having retired from professional running in 2015.
The Tokyo Marathon witnessed a remarkable performance by Ethiopian athletes Tadese Takele and Sutume Kebede, who dominated the men’s and women’s categories, respectively. With personal bests confirmed, Takele and Kebede continue to assert Ethiopia’s strong distance running legacy. Joshua Cheptegei has successfully transitioned to marathon running while Paula Radcliffe’s return marks a significant milestone in her storied career.
Original Source: www.cbc.ca
