Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele efficiently defended his Tokyo Marathon title on Sunday, edging Kenya’s Geoffrey Toroitich in a dash end to cross the road in 2 hours, 3 minutes, 37 seconds.
Takele completed with the identical official time as Toroitich after a dramatic battle for the road, with Kenya’s Alexander Mutiso only one second additional behind in third place.
“I knew that the final stage would be decisive,” stated the 23-year-old Takele. “Around 41 km I wanted to wait and see what would happen and then I made my move right before the finish.”
Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele received the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday after a dash end Image: POOL/AFP
Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei received the ladies’s race in 2:14:29, a brand new course report.
Ethiopia’s Berukan Welde was second in 2:16:36, adopted by her countrywoman Hawi Feysa in 2:17:39.
In heat, dry circumstances within the Japanese capital, a males’s main pack together with Takele, Toroitich, Mutiso and Kenya’s Daniel Mateiko broke away across the 37-km mark.
Takele made a late transfer and managed to remain in entrance regardless of a last-gasp problem from Toroitich.
“Today’s race was a great one,” stated Takele. “There was intense and positive competition, and I’m truly happy that I was able to win.”
The males’s subject was weakened by the withdrawal by means of harm of Kenya’s Timothy Kiplagat and Ethiopia’s Milkesa Mengesha within the lead-up to the race.
In the ladies’s competitors, Kosgei was in a category of her personal and completed greater than two minutes away from her nearest rival.
Kosgei, the Tokyo Marathon champion and Olympic silver medalist in 2021, has stated she is going to compete for Turkey on the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
“We have a lot of athletes in Kenya,” stated Kosgei. “I want some young generation to follow my step to join me in Turkey.”
© 2026 AFP