Kenya holds the seventh-fastest women’s time in history, while Tadese Takele wins the men’s three-way sprint in 2:03:37.
Brigid Kosgey made a fine return to form to win the women’s race at the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday (March 1) in 2:14:29. The 32-year-old won her first marathon major for four years and came close to her best time of 2:14:04, the world record she set in Chicago seven years ago.
The men’s race, meanwhile, saw an exciting finish. Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele clocked 2:03:37 to hold off Geoffrey Toroyich Kipchumba (a Kenyan who shares the same time as Takele), with another Kenyan, Alexander Mutiso Munyao, just over a second behind in fourth.
For Kosgei, it was the seventh-fastest time in women’s history and the second-fastest performance of her life, returning the Tokyo title she is aiming for in 2021. He also bettered the course record and all-Japan record of 2:15:55 set by two-time winner Sutume Asefa Kebede in 2024.
Kebede stood out for most of the race here, but in the closing stages he finished fourth as Bertukan Welde took second in 2:16:36 and Havi Feisa pipped Kebede for third, both runners clocking 2:17:39.
Takele became only the second man to win back-to-back titles in Tokyo. He also fielded a strong field that included two-time world 5,000m champion Muktar Edris of Ethiopia finishing fifth in 2:04:07.
Ilias Awani set an Italian record of 2:04:26 in sixth place.
Another leading Ethiopian, Tokyo Olympics 10,000m gold medalist Selemon Barega, was seventh in 2:05:00.
Men
1 Thaddeus Takel (ETH) 2:03:37; 2 Geoffrey Toroyich Kipchumba (KEN) 2:03:37; 3 Alexander Mutiso Munyao (KEN) 2:03:38; 4 Daniel Mateiko (KEN) 2:03:44; 5 Muktar Edris (ETH) 2:04:07
Women
1 Brigid Kosgey (KEN) 2:14:29; 2 Bertukan Weld (ETH) 2:16:36; 3 Havi Feisa (ETH) 2:17:39; 4 Sutume Asefa Kebede (ETH) 2:17:39; 5 Megertu Alemu (ETH) 2:18:50
