Kosgei takes down Tokyo course record

Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei rolled back the years to shatter the Tokyo course record as she stormed home in 2:14:29 to claim her first Major win since 2022.

The 32-year-old almost threatened her own personal best of 2:14:04 – a world record when she set it in 2019.

It was a rousing performance from the veteran as she denied Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede a third straight Tokyo victory.

After years of niggling injuries and below-par perfomances, 2025 saw Kosgei take second in Sydney and a win in Shanghai to signal a return to form, and she underlined that she is back to her best with this win to set her up for a strong year.

After a crowded first half, the pace cranked up in the second stanza to bring the course record into view as a fierce dual unfolded between Kosgei and Kebede.

Kosgei, who also has wins in London and Chicago on her record, eventually managed to gap the defending champion and established a 22-second lead by the 35km mark.

Kebede would ultimately end up in a battle for third after being rundown by Bertukan Welde, and she lost the final spot on the podium in a dash to the line with fellow Ethiopian Hawi Feysa.

Takele takes Tokyo No.2

Tadese Takele snatched a second straight Tokyo Marathon victory with a thrilling three-way sprint finish in the Japanese sunshine.

The Ethiopian timed his effort to perfection to out-last Kenyan pair Alex Mutiso and Geoffrey Tortoirich, revisiting the nightmare of four months ago on Mutiso who lost out on the line in New York City last November. Toroitich crept ahead of Mutiso to leave his countryman on the throd step of the podium.

None of the main contenders even figured until the last 12km of the contest as the race was taken on by surprise homegrown package Ryuichi Hashimoto, who invoked memories of his countryman Yuki Kawauchi’s famous Boston win in 2018.

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The 29-year-old blasted off the start and was towed through 10km by a lone pacemaker who stepped aside to leave him cutting a solitary figure out in front of the pre-race favorites.

The Japanese charger was still inside course record pace after 15km and held a 32-second lead as he approached the 20km mark, but his dream was swallowed by the chasing pack before they arrived at the 27km point.

From then on, it was left to former London champion Mutiso, who is based in Japan, to make a bid for his second Major title. Having lost so narrowly in New York, he did not want to leave it until the last few meters before attempting to put his rivals out of sight.

But with such a high calibre of men for company, Mutiso was unable to shed them as they entered the final cobbled section of the course.

Daniel Mateiko was first to crack before the last turn and it was Takele who proved strongest as they rounded the bend and attacked the tape in front of the Imperial Palace Gardens.

Hug and Debrunner dominate

In the men’s wheelchair race, Marcel Hug made light work of his seventh straight AbbottWMM victory, cruising home in 1:21:08.

Aided by the late withdrawal of 2025 champion Tomoki Suzuki, Hug beat China’s Xingchuan to the early eight bonus points at the 10km mark, adding 25 more for the win to make the perfect start to the defense of his series title.

Hug’s compatriot Catherine Debrunner matched him with a bonus point and first place to steal a march on the leaderboard of the women’s series.