Sunday 02nd March, 2025 10:57 AM|
Ethiopian athletes nearly swept clear the rostrum on the Tokyo Marathon 2025 after dominating their Kenyan counterparts in a race on Sunday, March 2, 2025.
Tadese Takele and Deresa Geleta capped positions one and two, with Kenya’s Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich coming in third for the second straight 12 months in 2:04:00.
Takele, the Olympic steeplechaser-turned runner, took the tape in 2:03:23, whereas Geleta got here in second after clocking 2:03:51.
Defending males’s champion and Paris 2024 Olympic Games bronze medalist Benson Kipruto pale to complete sixth (2:05:44). Before the race kicked off, Kipruto was among the favourites to win the title.
In 2024 Benson Kipruto won the 2024 race with a course document time of two:02:16, main a Kenyan sweep of the rostrum as Timothy Kiplagat and Vincent Kipkemoi completed second and third with occasions of two:02:55 and a couple of:04:18, respectively.
In the 2025 version, solely Kipkemoi and Kipruto represented the nation, as Kiplagat missed the motion to organize for the upcoming London Marathon.
Uganda’s two-time middle-distance Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei ended up ninth in a private greatest of two:05:56 in his second profession marathon.
Speaking after the race, Takele attributed his success to correct preparation. He additional added that the climate in Japan didn’t have an effect on him as temperatures climbed above 20 C.
“I thought I ran a very good race. I prepared well, and I’m happy I raced a new personal best,” stated the 22-year-old, who made the transition from the observe two years in the past.
“The weather didn’t affect me much; I didn’t think it was that hot. It’s a good course and I hope to run even better in the future,” he added.
He additionally used the chance to open up about his want to win the Olympics.
“I want to run faster and win the Olympics one day,” he revealed.
Women’s race
Ethiopia prolonged their profitable streak within the ladies’s races as Sutume Asefa Kebede emerged the winner, retaining her crown in 2:16:29.
Following Kebede on to the rostrum had been Winfrida Moraa Moseti of Kenya (2:16:56) and Hawi Feysa, additionally of Ethiopia (2:17:00).
Paula Radcliffe, operating her first marathon since she retired in 2015, checked in 111th in 2:57:26, greater than 40 minutes off the world document she used to carry.