Schaer claims Tokyo Marathon

TOKYO – Swiss wheelchair star Manuela Schaer defended her title in the women’s race in the Tokyo Marathon in the first of the six Majors Marathon to take place this season.

Suzuki Tomoki of Japan came second in the Tokyo Marathon in 2015, 2018, 2021 and 2023. But in the absence of last year’s winner Marcel Hug of Switzerland, the Japanese racer completely dominated the action.

He pulled in front after the 15km-mark and finished in 1:2:05, over 5 minutes ahead of second place Daniel Romanchuk from the United States.

There was more celebration for the hosts as Sho Watanabe ended in third place among the 29 elite athletes from eight nations competing in the men’s event.

Kenya’s Benson Kipruto and Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede won the men’s and women’s races, respectively, Reuters reported.

The Marathon Majors return next month with the 2024 Boston Marathon on April 15 in the United States.

It was Schaer’s fourth Tokyo triumph after winning in 2018, 2019 and 2023. She did not break her own course record from last year but still cruised to victory (1:40:10) 18 seconds ahead of Great Britain’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper. USA’s Susannah Scaroni took the third place.

“I’m very happy with today’s race. It was a really strong race,” said Schaer. “It was a bit too windy for a really fast time but, I’m really happy to be able to win again and to be back in Tokyo.”

Kenyan Benson Kipruto won the men’s Tokyo Marathon in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds, 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.

Kiplagat had to be convinced not to pull out of the race by his coach after the death of his training partner, marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, in a road accident last month.

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 was struggling at halfway with the pace under the course record time of 2:02:40 he had set in 2022, and the double Olympic champion had slipped two minutes behind the leaders by the 30-km mark. He finished 10th.

Kebede and Wanjiru had been in the leading group throughout the women’s race, and it was only on the latter stages that the Ethiopian was able to pull clear of her rival to 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.

Kebede’s compatriot Amane Beriso was third in 2:16:58, more than a minute clear of Dutch Olympic long distance track champion Sifan Hassan in fourth place.

Ichitaka Yamashita was the fastest Japanese man in a time of 2:06:31 to finish ninth, while Hitomi Niiya took the local honours in the women’s race with a sixth-placed finish in 2:21:50.