Tabla de contenido
As usual, in the last week of January, the Tokyo Marathon organizers announced the elite runners who will participate in the 18th Tokyo Marathon, set to take place on Sunday, March 2, 2025. This race marks the first event of the 2025 Marathon Majors Series.
The organizers also highlighted that the 20th edition of the marathon will take place in 2027.
“The Paris 2024 Olympics concluded last year, and athletes worldwide are now entering their next training cycle with an eye on the future. We have invited athletes to compete in the 2025 Tokyo Marathon to lay the foundation for the 20th-anniversary race,” they stated.
“I would like to express my deep gratitude to everyone who has worked hard to make this event possible. Last year, I assumed the title of Race Director from President and CEO Tadaaki Hayano, along with the great responsibilities it entails. I strongly hope that one day a new world record will be set on the Tokyo Marathon course. I don’t just want to focus on achieving faster speeds but also on improving the performance of Japanese runners and supporting pacemaking strategies so they can reach their goals,” said Race Director Yasuhiro Oshima.
Men’s Category – Tokyo Marathon
Let’s start with the men’s race. Last year’s champion, Benson Kipruto (Kenya), will return to compete. In 2024, he set a high pace early in the race and finished in 2:02:16, a new record on Japanese soil. Later, he secured third place at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This year, he will seek his second consecutive victory in Tokyo.
Another runner to watch is Joshua Cheptegei (Uganda), the current world record holder in the 5,000m and 10,000m. He won gold in the 5,000m at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and in the 10,000m at Paris 2024. He ran 42.195 km in Valencia in December 2023 to assess his suitability for marathon racing. However, the 2025 Tokyo Marathon will be his official marathon debut, making this a highly anticipated race. Reports suggest he is aiming to finish under 2:02:00.
Also worth following is Deresa Geleta (Ethiopia), who has a personal best of just over 2:02:00. In the 2024 Valencia Marathon, he finished second with a time of 2:02:38, solidifying his status as a promising marathoner.
Other notable contenders include:
- Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich (Kenya) – 3rd place in Tokyo last year.
- Titus Kipruto (Kenya) – 4th place in the 2023 Tokyo Marathon, familiar with the course.
Projected Race Strategy
- The leading group will likely aim for a sub-2:02:00 pace.
- The second group will target 2:03:00–2:04:00.
- The third group, including Japanese runners, will aim for 2:05:00 or better, focusing on breaking the Japanese national record of 2:04:56 in preparation for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Among the top Japanese runners:
- Akira Akasaki (Kyudenko) – 6th place in Paris 2024.
- Yohei Ikeda (Kao) – Ran 2:05:12 in Berlin 2024, the second-fastest Japanese marathon time.
- Suguru Osako (Nike) – A veteran with two Olympic appearances.
This race could become a battle for a new Japanese record.
List of Elite Male Runners for the 2025 Tokyo Marathon
Aquí tienes los cuadros completamente traducidos al inglés:
Elite Men’s List for the 2025 Tokyo Marathon and Their Best Times
| Bib | Name | Country | Birth Year | Personal Best (PB) | Year (PB) | City (PB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benson Kipruto | Kenya | 1991 | 2:02:16 | 2024 | Tokyo |
| 2 | Joshua Cheptegei | Uganda | 1996 | 2:08:59 | 2023 | Valencia |
| 3 | Deresa Geleta | Ethiopia | 1996 | 2:02:38 | 2024 | Valencia |
| 4 | Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich | Kenya | 1999 | 2:03:13 | 2023 | Berlin |
| 5 | Tadese Takele | Ethiopia | 2002 | 2:03:24 | 2023 | Berlin |
| 6 | Dawit Wolde | Ethiopia | 1991 | 2:03:48 | 2023 | Valencia |
| 7 | Leul Gebresilase | Ethiopia | 1992 | 2:04:12 | 2021 | Amsterdam |
| 8 | Birhanu Legese | Ethiopia | 1994 | 2:02:48 | 2023 | Amsterdam |
| 9 | Stephen Kissa | Uganda | 1988 | 2:04:48 | 2022 | Hamburg |
| 10 | Tsegaye Getachew | Ethiopia | 1996 | 2:04:49 | 2022 | Amsterdam |
| 11 | Amedework Walelegn | Ethiopia | 1999 | 2:04:50 | 2024 | Rotterdam |
| 12 | Titus Kipruto | Kenya | 1998 | 2:04:54 | 2022 | Amsterdam |
| 13 | Mulugeta Asefa Uma | Ethiopia | 1998 | 2:05:33 | 2024 | Paris |
| 14 | Hendrik Pfeiffer | Germany | 1993 | 2:07:14 | 2024 | Houston |
| 15 | Suldan Hassan | Sweden | 1998 | 2:07:36 | 2024 | Seville |
| 16 | Geoffrey Toroitich | Kenya | 2000 | 59:13 (Half Marathon) | 2023 | Málaga |
| 21 | Akira Akasaki | Japan | 1998 | 2:07:32 | 2024 | Paris Olympics |
| 22 | Yohei Ikeda | Japan | 1998 | 2:05:12 | 2024 | Berlin |
| 23 | Suguru Osako (Withdrawn) | Japan | 1991 | 2:05:29 | 2023 | Tokyo |
| 24 | Benard Koech (Withdrawn) | Kenya | 1999 | 26:43.98 | 2024 | Paris Olympics |
Women’s Category – Tokyo Marathon
The women’s race will also be exciting, featuring the last three Tokyo Marathon champions:
- Sutume Asefa Kebede (Ethiopia) – Set a Japanese all-comers record (2:15:55) in 2024.
- Rosemary Wanjiru (Kenya) – 2023 Tokyo Marathon winner.
- Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) – 2022 champion, but has withdrawn due to lack of preparation.
Other top contenders include:
- Tigist Ketema (Ethiopia) – Winner of the 2024 Berlin Marathon.
- Hawi Feysa (Ethiopia) – 2024 Frankfurt Marathon champion.
The pace strategy will likely be:
- Front group targeting 2:15:00.
- The second group aims for 2:17:00–2:18:00.
- The third group is looking at 2:20:00 or below.
Among the top Japanese runners:
- Ai Hosoda (EDION) – Ran 2:20:31 in Berlin 2024.
- Yuka Ando (Shimamura) – 2024 Nagoya Women’s Marathon winner.
List of Elite Female Runners for the 2025 Tokyo Marathon
| Position | Name (Romanized) | Country | Birth Year | Personal Best (PB) | City (PB) | Year (PB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Sutume Asefa Kebede | Ethiopia | 1994 | 2:15:55 | Tokyo | 2024 |
| 52 | Brigid Kosgei (Withdrawn) | Kenya | 1994 | 2:14:04 | Tokyo | 2021 |
| 53 | Tigist Ketema | Ethiopia | 1998 | 2:16:07 | Dubai | 2024 |
| 54 | Rosemary Wanjiru | Kenya | 1994 | 2:16:14 | Tokyo | 2024 |
| 55 | Hawi Feysa | Ethiopia | 1999 | 2:17:25 | Frankfurt | 2024 |
| 56 | Degitu Azimeraw | Ethiopia | 1999 | 2:17:58 | London | 2021 |
| 57 | Gotytom Gebreslase | Ethiopia | 1995 | 2:18:11 | World Athletics Championships, Oregon | 2022 |
| 58 | Winfridah Moraa Moseti | Kenya | 1996 | 2:18:25 | Hamburg | 2024 |
| 59 | Mestawut Fikir | Ethiopia | 2000 | 2:18:48 | Berlin | 2024 |
| 60 | Magdalyne Masai | Kenya | 1993 | 2:18:58 | Frankfurt | 2024 |
| 61 | Desi Jisa Mokonin | Bahrain | 1997 | 2:20:47 | Doha | 2023 |
| 62 | Jessica Stenson | Australia | 1987 | 2:24:01 | Daegu | 2024 |
| 63 | Tirunesh Dibaba (Withdrawn) | Ethiopia | 1985 | 2:17:56 (Half Marathon) | Gifu | 2023 |
| 71 | Ai Hosoda | Japan | 1995 | 2:20:31 | Berlin | 2024 |
| 72 | Yuka Ando | Japan | 1994 | 2:21:18 | Nagoya Women’s | 2024 |
An Exciting Event
The 2025 Tokyo Marathon promises a world-class showdown, with stars like Benson Kipruto, Joshua Cheptegei, and Sutume Kebede pushing for new records.
For Japanese runners, this race will be crucial for qualification to the 2025 World Athletics Championships, ensuring fierce competition until the finish line.
Source:Tokyo Marathon press
How to Train for the Tokyo Marathon?
Personalized plans with running.COACH
Soymaratonista.com together with running.COACH offers personalized English plans that fit your current conditions and future competitions. running.COACH is a customized plan for running with iOS and Android applications.
In addition, with this subscription, you get 30 days on the running. You can create a 100% personalized and dynamic training plan with the COACH app.
USE PROMO CODE: B6TQTH
0 Comments