Ethiopia dominates men's FM at Tokyo Marathon

Runner born in 1997 finished first with a record of 2 hours 5 minutes 22 seconds. Compatriot Mohamed Esa finished almost at the same time as Gelmisa, but still ranked second despite having the same record of 2 hours 5 minutes 22 seconds. Another Ethiopian, Tsegaye Getachew Kebede finished third with 2 hours 5 minutes 25 seconds.

In the group of Kenyan runners competing this morning, Titus Kipruto finished first with a time of 2 hours 5 minutes 32 seconds and placed fourth overall.

Levis Cameron, fifth with a time of 2 hours 5 minutes 36 seconds, became the fastest runner in North America when he broke the record of 2 hours 5 minutes 38 seconds US athlete Khalid Khannouchi and also set a new national record of Canada. Japan's best athlete is Ichitaka Yamashita, 2 hours 5 minutes 51 seconds, ranked seventh.

The level difference began to show after the 5 km mark, when the number of runners in the leading group gradually decreased. Only about 30 athletes can maintain the 2:04 pace (2 minutes 4 seconds per kilometer) at the 21.0975km mark.

The group of 6 athletes including Kipruto, Gelmisa, Getachew, Esa, Levis and Deme Tadu Abate, also of Ethiopia, jumped from the 37 km mark. Levis led until the 40 km mark and was overtaken by the Ethiopian runners. Gelmisa, Esa and Getachew then sprinted together with the victory for the runner born in 1997.

In the women's event, the Tokyo Marathon welcomes the new champion, Rosemary Wanjiru of Kenya. Runner born in 1994 finished in 2 hours 16 minutes 18 seconds, setting a new personal record and the seventh best in the history of female runners. The next two places belong to Ethiopian athletes, respectively Tsehay Gemechu, 2 hours 16 minutes 56 seconds, and Ashete Bekere, 2 hours 19 minutes 11 seconds.

In the wheelchair marathon, two Swiss athletes Marcel Hug and Manuela Schar set new tournament records. Hug successfully defended the throne, finishing in 1 hour 20 minutes 57 seconds, nearly 4 minutes faster than his achievement last year. Schar won the championship with a time of 1 hour 36 minutes 43 seconds.

The Tokyo Marathon is the opening tournament of the 2023 season of the World Marathon Majors - the largest six-run system on the planet. The next tournaments will take place in Boston on April 17, London on April 23, Berlin on September 24, Chicago on October 8 and New York City on November 5.