Double Olympic marathon medallist and world record holder sets course record in Japanese capital

Eliud Kipchoge wrote another chapter in his extraordinary career by winning the Tokyo Marathon with relative ease in a time of 2:02:40, a course record and the fourth quickest time in history.

The 37-year-old Kenyan has now won four out of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors – Berlin, London, Chicago and Tokyo – and has just New York and Boston to go to complete the set.

Given Kipchoge is the world marathon record holder and has won two back-to-back Olympic gold medals over the distance means that there’s an argument to say that if he can triumph in both New York and Boston then he’d have set an unrivalled legacy in distance running.

“I am so proud to win in the streets of Tokyo, where the people have running in their heart and minds,” said Kipchoge on Instagram. “After winning my second Olympic Gold medal in Japan last summer, I returned to Tokyo to run a strong race. And this is what I meant with a strong race, 2:02 victory and a new course record. I’m proud to now have won 4 out of the 6 Abbott World Marathon Major races.

“Finally, I want to say I want this world to unite. If there are differences I want us to meet and speak, not fight. My win today is to bring positivity in this world. No human is limited.”

Fastest marathons in history:

?? Eliud Kipchoge (2:01:39 – Berlin 2018)
?? Kenenisa Bekele (2:01:41 – Berlin 2019)
?? Eliud Kipchoge (2:02:37 – London 2019)
?? Eliud Kipchoge (2:02:40 – Tokyo 2022) pic.twitter.com/H4w4dCe7Xc

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) March 6, 2022

Even though he claimed Olympic gold on the streets of Sapporo last summer this was Kipchoge’s first experience of the Tokyo Marathon.

In what was a relatively easily victory in the end, the Kenyan’s greatest challenge came from fellow compatriot Amos Kipruto – marathon bronze medallist at the 2019 World Championships in Doha – who stayed with Kipchoge until 35km.

To say that Kipchoge tolerated Kipruto before putting on the gas would be a fair reflection of the race.

Earlier on in the contest the lead pack of eight elite men went through 10km in 28:37 and were then projected with a 2:00:45 finish, even after a wrong turn which cost Kipchoge and co. approximately 10 seconds.

Eliud Kipchoge has just two major marathons to go to complete the set ?

?? Berlin Marathon ✅
?? London Marathon ✅
?? Chicago Marathon ✅
?? Tokyo Marathon ✅
?? New York Marathon ❓
?? Boston Marathon ❓ pic.twitter.com/ArBsnFA47W

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) March 6, 2022

After 25km the pace has slowed with the leading men clocking 1:12:26 and the projection being 2:02:15. By 30km the leading pack consisted of just Kipchoge, Kipruto and Tamirat Tola – marathon silver medalist at the 2017 World Championships in London – but it was almost inevitable that Kipchoge would kick on at some point.

The fact that such a move to the front has become a formality in races emphasis the aura that Kipchoge has established in distance running. You dare not doubt him and if he loses it’s such a surprise that you have to blink twice to check if it’s true.

He has now won 13 out of his last 14 marathons and excluding his eighth place at a drenched London Marathon two years ago, you have to go back to the Berlin Marathon in 2013 to find the last time Kipchoge failed to win.

In regards to creating history, Brigid Kosgei matched Kipchoge in Tokyo.

The world record holder, who claimed a silver medal at last year’s Olympics in Japan, crossed the line in 2:16:02, the third fastest marathon in history. Only Kosgei herself and Paula Radcliffe have run faster.

Kosgei was pushed hard by 2019 Berlin Marathon champion Ashete Bekere and Gotytom Gebreslase who clocked 2:17:58 and 2:18:18 respectively.

The trio were a class apart from the rest of the field and they went through 30km in 1:36:59. Similarly to Kipchoge, Kosgei made her move around the 35km mark and in doing so set a course record in Japan.

The 28-year-old Kenyan has now won marathons in London, Chicago and Tokyo and is halfway to winning all the Abbott World Marathon Majors.

In the wheelchair division, Marcel Hug once again dominated to claim a second Tokyo Marathon title but his time of 1:22:16 didn’t beat the course record of Tomoki Suzuki’s 1:21:52 from 2020.

Home favourite Tsubasa Kina won back-to-back titles after clocking 1:40:21, just 21 seconds outside of her own course record.