TOKYO: Kenyan Benson Kipruto won the men’s Tokyo Marathon in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds on Sunday, breaking former world record holder Eliud Kipchoge’s course mark in perfect racing conditions on the streets of the Japanese capital.
Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede won the women’s race ahead of Kenya’s defending champion Rosemary Wanjiru in 2:15:55, also bettering the best previous women’s time over the course from Shinjuku to the Imperial Palace.
Kipruto pulled clear of Timothy Kiplagat over the last few kilometres and finished 39 seconds ahead of his compatriot to add the Tokyo title to those he won in Boston in 2021 and Chicago in 2022.
The 32-year-old’s time was almost two minutes better than his previous personal best and made him the fifth-fastest marathon runner of all time in events approved by World Athletics.
Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich finished third in 2:04:18 to give Kenya a podium sweep, with Ethiopians Hailemaryam Kiros and Tsegaye Getachew in fourth and fifth places. Kipchoge finished 10th.
Kebede and Wanjiru had been in the leading group throughout the women’s race, but at the 37km mark the Ethiopian upped her pace to pull clear of her rivals and claim her first major marathon title by 19 seconds.
Her time bettered Brigid Kosgei’s 2022 women’s course record of 2:16:02 and took more than two minutes off her previous personal best time of 2:18:12.
Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2024
