Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei win the Tokyo Marathon

World record-holders Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei have won the Tokyo Marathon. Despite taking a wrong turn after 10 km, Kipchoge put on a masterclass performance, breaking the Tokyo Marathon course record and the Japanese soil record. He stepped on the gas at the 35 km mark and didn’t look back as he distanced himself from his compatriot Amos Kipruto, crossing the finish line in 2:02:40, only one minute behind his world record.

? WINNER ?

2:02:40! @EliudKipchoge ?? is the 2021 @tokyo42195_org champion! Four down, two to go for the great man in his quest to win all six #AbbottWMM races ? ? ? pic.twitter.com/Ti7HQjMMaM

— Abbott WMMajors (@WMMajors) March 6, 2022

With this win, Kipchoge now has won four Abbott World Marathon Majors, now missing only New York and Boston. The double Olympic marathon champion came through the 10K mark ahead of the world record pace. After 10K, the lead group, which included Kipchoge, took a wrong turn, which ended up costing the group 10 to 15 seconds. 

Kipchoge stuck to his pace and the rest of the lead group suffered, as men began to drop off. Ethiopia’s Mosinet Geremew, the fourth-fastest marathoner in history (2:02:55), who was supposed to challenge Kipchoge, dropped out of the race at the 25 km mark. Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia fell off the pace before 30 km. Kengo Suzuki, Japan’s national record holder, couldn’t quite pull off another national record, but made up some time, passing 2021 London Marathon champion Shura Kitata between 30 km and 35 km to finish fourth. Suzuki is only the second Japanese man ever to break 2:06.

In the women’s race, Kosgei returned to impressive form in a 2:16:02 performance (also a course record and Japanese soil record), leading the race from start to finish. Gotytom Gebreslase of Ethiopia hung with Kosgei until 37 km, then dropped off. The U.S. half-marathon record holder, Sara Hall, was in the mix early but found the pace of the lead pack to be too swift. 

As they approach 35K, it looks like this #TokyoMarathon women's race is shaping up to be a battle between Brigid Kosgei and Gotytom Gebreslase. pic.twitter.com/FiiwyGaD4E

— Fast Women (@fast_women) March 6, 2022

Double Olympic gold medallist and world record holder Marcel Hug of Switzerland won the men’s wheelchair race in a course record time of 1:22:16. Japan’s Tsubasa Kina won the women’s wheelchair race in 1:40:21, just off the course record she set in 2020.

Top 10 Men

1. Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 2:02:40 CR, soil record
2. Amos Kipruto (Kenya) 2:03:13, PB
3. Tamirat Tola (Ethiopia) 2:04:14
4. Kengo Suzuki (Japan) 2:05:28
5. Shura Kitata (Ethiopia) 2:06:12
6. Laban Korir (Kenya) 2:06:37
7. Kenya Sonota (Japan) 2:07:23, PB
8. Shun Yuzawa (Japan) 2:07:31, PB
9. Kento Kikutani (Japan) 2:07:55
10. Michael Githae (Ethiopia) 2:07:55

Top 10 Women

1. Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) 2:16:02 CR, soil record
2. Ashete Bekere (Ethiopia) 2:17:58
3. Gotytom Gebrselase (Ethiopia) 2:18:18, PB
4. Angela Tanui (Kenya)
5. Hiwot Gebrekidan (Ethiopia)
6. Mao Ichiyama (Japan) 2:21:02
7. Hitomi Niiya (Japan) 2:21:17
8. Sara Hall (USA) 2:22:56
9. Helen Bekele (Ethiopia) 2:24:33
10. Kaori Morita (Japan) 2:27:38 (debut)