World record-holder races on Japan on Sunday in quest to win all six World Marathon Majors events

Despite his amazing career, Eliud Kipchoge still has goals he would like to achieve. One of them is winning a third Olympic marathon title in Paris in 2024. Another is to complete a clean sweep of victories in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series.

So far he has won in London (four times), Berlin (three times) and Chicago (once). On Sunday (March 6) he races in the Tokyo Marathon and, if he wins, he will look toward New York City and Boston to complete the set.

This will be his first appearance in Tokyo, having won the Olympic title last year outside of the city, as the race was staged in Sapporo.

“My focus has been on Tokyo from the beginning of my training cycle,” says Kipchoge, “and I can say I am ready to race there. I am very excited to run in a country where running is a crucial part of the sport culture and looking forward to experience the Japanese excitement for running and the marathon in particular.”

Kipchoge will be challenged by 2019 and 2020 Tokyo champion Birhanu Legese, the world’s third fastest man over the marathon distance with 2:02:48, and the fourth-fastest man, Mosinet Geremew (2:02:55), who are both from Ethiopia.

In addition, marathon bronze medallist at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Amos Kipruto of Kenya, and marathon silver medalist at the 2017 World Championships, Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia, will also feature. Both men have run inside 2:04 too, which means Kipchoge has a race on his hands.

Japanese record-holder Kengo Suzuki, meanwhile, carries home hopes. At the Lake Biwa Marathon 12 months ago he ran 2:04:56.

Tokyo this weekend does not merely have one world record-holder either. As well as Kipchoge the Kenyan women’s world record-holder Brigid Kosgei is also due to run. She clocked 2:14:04 in Chicago in 2019 to beat Paula Radcliffe’s 2:15:25 world record. On Sunday she faces the winner of the 2021 Amsterdam Marathon, Angela Tanui from Kenya, plus Ashete Bekere from Ethiopia.

Tanui has clocked 2:17:57 while Bekere’s best is 2:18:18, while the Japanese challenged is led by Maya Ichiyama.