Ethiopian runners Tadese Takele and Sutume Kebede won the men’s and women’s divisions of the Tokyo Marathon, achieving personal bests. Takele finished in 2:03:23, while Kebede claimed victory in 2:16:31. Joshua Cheptegei transitioned from track to marathon, finishing 9th, and Paula Radcliffe returned to the marathon scene after a decade, clocking 2:57:26.
Ethiopian runners Tadese Takele and Sutume Kebede triumphed in their respective categories at the Tokyo Marathon, held on a near-perfect spring day. Takele achieved a personal best of two hours, three minutes, and 23 seconds, while his fellow countryman Deresa Geleta finished second in 2:03:51, closely followed by Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich of Kenya in 2:04:00.
On the women’s side, Kebede maintained her leading position from the start, securing her second consecutive win at the Tokyo Marathon with a time of 2:16:31. She was trailed by Winfridah Moraa Moseti from Kenya, who crossed the finish line in 2:16:56, and Ethiopian Hawi Feysa, who completed the race at 2:17:00. In the previous year, Kebede set a Japanese all-comers’ record at 2:15:55.
The highest-placed Japanese male runner was Tubasa Ichiyama, who finished 10th with a time of 2:06:00. On the women’s side, Yuka Ando also achieved a 10th place finish, completing the race in 2:23:37. Notably, there were no Canadian runners in the elite races this year.
In other news, Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei announced his retirement from track racing after an illustrious career that included two Olympic gold medals and a silver, as well as numerous world championship titles in the 10,000 meters. Cheptegei, who made his marathon debut in 2023, finished ninth with a time of 2:05:56 at the marathon event, aiming for a personal best.
Additionally, former world record holder Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain participated in her first competitive marathon in a decade, finishing in 2:57:26. The 51-year-old plans to compete in the Boston Marathon next month and seeks to complete all six major marathons after retiring from professional running in 2015.
The Tokyo Marathon witnessed notable performances by Ethiopian athletes Tadese Takele and Sutume Kebede, who dominated the men’s and women’s events, respectively. While Joshua Cheptegei concluded his track career, he successfully transitioned to the marathon scene. Notably, Paula Radcliffe made her return after ten years, highlighting her ongoing passion for the sport. These performances emphasize the continuing evolution and competition within long-distance running.
Original Source: www.cbc.ca
