Kenya’s Wilson Kipsang predicts a world record for Sunday’s Tokyo Marathon

Kenya’s Wilson Kipsang predicts he will run a marathon world record on Sunday (Saturday evening for Canadians) at the Tokyo Marathon.

While he was at the pre-Tokyo press conference, the former world record holder predicted his finishing time will be 2:02:50. The current men’s world record is 2:02:57, which Dennis Kimetto set at the 2014 Berlin Marathon. Kipsang held the world record (2:03:23) until Kimetto broke that mark. Kipsang would need to average 2:54 per kilometre for more than 42K if he wants to hit his predicted time.

It’s a bold prediction as the current course record for Tokyo is 2:05:42. But, it should be noted that the 2017 Tokyo Marathon course has been altered from years past. As Brett Larner of Japan Running News writes, “the late-stage hills of the old course are gone, and the expectation is that people will be slowing down less in the second half.” Could this mean that we’ll see a new world record?

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Kipsang, 34, had been inconsistent in recent years but returned to form last September running a remarkable 2:03:13 at the Berlin Marathon finishing second to Kenenisa Bekele. Bekele had a hyped marathon world record attempt at January’s Dubai Marathon but dropped out of the race.

Our athlete Wilson Kipsang has set a target time of 2:02:50 ahead of the #TokyoMarathon ! What time do you think he will run? #Sub2 pic.twitter.com/UrRVwvhzIh

— Sub2hrsmarathon (@Sub2hrs) February 24, 2017

The Kenyan record holder for the marathon will be wearing a new pair of Adidas shoes on Sunday. The sportswear giant revealed its “Sub2 marathon shoe” on Friday in an effort to help athletes lower their times and approach the two-hour barrier in the marathon. He wants to split 61:20 and 61:30 for the first and second halves of the race.

A few more photos of the new adizero Sub2 marathon shoe & some details here: https://t.co/mKuHY02XOe pic.twitter.com/TiYLqesKa5

— Chris Chavez (@ChrisChavez) February 24, 2017

No Canadian elites are in the field for Sunday though there will be a national team member toeing the line.

Made it to the #TokyoMarathon expo! Plenty of stimulation here!!! Now it's time to put the legs up and carb load until race day ??????? pic.twitter.com/yryAMRZ1da

— Chris Napier PT, PhD (@runnerphysio) February 24, 2017

Athletics Canada physiotherapist Chris Napier will test the marathon waters in Japan on Sunday. The Tokyo Marathon is the first of six Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2017 with races also to be held in Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City later this year. The 2017 IAAF World Championships are also a qualifying race.

No women predicted that the world record would go down on Sunday in Tokyo. Berhane Dibaba, the 2015 Tokyo Marathon winner, is in the field, which will also feature the interesting dynamic of Betsy Saina making her 42K debut. She trains with the Bowerman Track Club, the same group as Canadians Mo Ahmed and Matt Hughes.

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