Kipchoge lamented the worst result of his career in a record-setting Tokyo Marathon

In a marathon surrounded by a special aura, since it was the opening Major of the Olympic year and the first, also, after the fatality of Kelvin Kiptum, the winners came from the African powers: the Kenyan Benson Kipruto and the Ethiopian Sutume Kebede established a new record for the competition in Tokyo.

Kipruto, 32, broke the finish line in 2:02:16 and a bunch of records. In addition to improving the fastest time on this circuit that belonged to Eliud Kipchoge by 13 seconds since 2021, he set his personal record, ranked as the fifth fastest marathon runner in history and celebrated his third Grand Race, which he lives on his path together with Boston 2021 and Chicago 2022.

After taking the lead at kilometer 32 and overtaking his compatriots Timothy Kiplagat (2:02:55) and Vicent Kipkemoi Ngetich (2:04:18), he warned that he will “work” to break the two-hour barrier, an unprecedented phenomenon, and promised to return to the Japanese capital in search of defending the title.

Kebede’s triumph has as or more glorious dimensions. At 29, she won her first Major with the fastest time of her life (2:15:55) and seven seconds apart from the previous record of the event, and postponed the defending champion from Kenya, Rosemary Wanjiru, to second place (2:16:14). Third came the Ethiopian Amane Shankule. In the wheelchair competitions, the Japanese Tomoki Suzuki and the legendary Swiss Manuela Schär were victorious.

Eliud Kipchoge embodied the most resounding disappointment. Named for not attending the Kiptum funeral and after declaring that in Paris 2024 it will be “a little different” without his biggest opponent, the Olympic champion in Rio and Tokyo came tenth (2:06:49, 4 minutes and 33 seconds behind Kipruto), specifying his worst position in a marathon and having evidenced a pronounced regression starting at kilometer 20.

The justification for the debacle of those who had finally decided to prioritize Tokyo over Boston due to the deadlines for Paris was as allegorical as it was categorical: “It was a bad day, not every day is Christmas,” he metaphorized. Sifan Hassan, who garnered notable attention among women because she was undefeated with two victories in two marathons, finished fourth and off the podium with 2:18:05, 4 minutes and 21 seconds behind her best record.

In addition to the traditional men’s and women’s competitions, to be held, as usual, at the end of the Game (August 10 and 11), a third marathon will be held in Paris 2024, incorporated into the athletic running program: the Marathon Race Walk, from 42.195 km and in which 25 mixed relays will compete in the vicinity of the Eiffel Tower.

On the margins of the Olympic program, 20,024 amateur athletes will travel the same route as the official races in the fledgling “Marathon for All”, on the night of Saturday, August 10. During the same night day, a reduced version of 10 kilometers will also be carried out.