The Abbott World Marathon Majors are back with a bang. That, and a ton of confetti. The same confetti that has kicked off every Tokyo Marathon since it first started nearly 20 years ago. It’s quite symbolic. Raining confetti marked the beginning of the race, a downpour of fast times came at the end, and a reigning champion also made his mark in between (see what I did there).
Tokyo Marathon Men’s Elite Race
The elite men’s race was a story of double champions, and in some ways, half champions too. For the most part of the race the pack was led by Japan’s own Ryuichi Hashimoto, who by going through 21km in around 61:29, was on track for a huge 7 minute personal best. Although unfortunately, while this is proof of just how much a home crowd can spur you on, their help is only on the mental side. And physically, Hashimoto was struggling. So much so that a 69:52 second half saw him drop back to 39th.
While all of this was happening, 2025 Tokyo Marathon winner Tadese Takele of Ethiopia was employing the opposite strategy: he was playing the long game. Speaking in the press conference after the race was when he revealed his plan. Stay behind the pacer, and finish strong. Which turned out to be exactly what he needed, because in the last stretch of the marathon, he really had to give it his all.
Something’s in the air with marathon finishes lately. The 2025 Tokyo World Championships were the spark that started it all and since then two more marathons have needed the help of photo finish. So it was only right that yesterday’s race also provided some drama in keeping with its host’s legacy.
It all came down to three men. Tadese Takele, Geoffrey Toroitich and Alexander Mutiso Munyao. Three men and one sprint finish. The first was the reigning champion, the second last year’s 6th place finisher and the third, returning to the course 6 years after a DNF. In the end, just 1 second separated first and third place, with Takele and Torotich clocking the same time of 2:03:37. Slightly slower than Tadese Takele’s winning time from last year, but a much faster finish. With the first major marathon of the year came a new world lead and an important lesson too: that patience, is a virtue.
Men’s Podium:
- Tadese TAKELE (ETH) 2:03:37
- Geoffrey TOROITICH (KEN) 2:03:37
- Alexander MUTISO MUNYAO (KEN) 2:03:38
Tokyo Marathon Women’s Elite Race
The story of the women’s elite race is also one of a returning champion. Only this time, that double victory was not one, but four years in the making. Kenyan athlete Brigid Kosgei won the Tokyo Marathon in 2022 and hasn’t been back since, but that’s not to say she hasn’t been busy in the meantime. Far from it. She hasn’t been absent from the major marathon scene, but she has been from the top of the podium. A 4th place in New York, 5th in London, and then 2nd last year in Sydney.
Until yesterday, when all that changed. A return to Tokyo, and a return to winning form. And not just winning form: record form. Brigid Kosgei crossed the finish line with a 2 minute lead over second place, setting a new Tokyo Marathon course record of 2:14:29. A record that she not only broke by over a minute, but also beat its owner in the process. Two-time Tokyo Marathon winner Sutume Asefa Kebede, the reigning champion, was left behind in fourth place with 2:17:39. But while she may have slipped down the podium, others were able to cling on. Last year’s 3rd place finisher Hawi Feysa of Ethiopia saw a podium repeat this year, and it was a brilliant second place and personal best performance for her teammate Bertukan Welde in her Tokyo debut.
Post-race reflection
Commenting on her win later on in the press conference, Brigid Kosgei expressed slight disappointment at not lowering her personal best as she’d aimed to do, coming achingly short at just 0.25 seconds away. But it was a case of one achievement lost, another one gained, and I’m not just talking about the course record. Brigid Kosgei’s win in Tokyo marked her 6th major marathon win across her career. Since the series began, the only woman who’s had more wins is Mary Keitang with seven. Just one more. And speaking of the number 7, that’s where Brigid Kosgei’s win lies on the all-time list. Paula Radcliffe’s 2:15:25 former world record from 2003 has now left the top 10 after 23 years. So it’s safe to say that while Brigid Kosgei didn’t break her PB, she still made quite the mark.
Women’s Podium:
- Brigid KOSGEI (KEN) 2:14:29
- Bertukan WELDE (ETH) 2:16:36
- Hawi FEYSA (ETH) 2:17:39
A Tokyo return, is a Tokyo win
Both Tadese Takele and Brigid Kosgei made their returns to Tokyo this Sunday, and won. In the case of Takele only a year had passed and for Kosgei it was four, but the same rings true for both: there were no wins until Tokyo. It’s a major for obvious reasons, but it’s special for another. Tokyo is famous for its community, and the fact that these winners had a previous connection to the course, proves its strength is otherworldly.
Written by- Rosana Ercilla
