sports

38,000 take part in Tokyo Marathon despite rain

12 Comments

About 38,000 people took part in the annual Tokyo Marathon on Sunday despite rainy conditions.

Ethiopia's Birhanu Legese won the men's race, finishing in two hours, four minutes and 48 seconds.

ethip.jpg
Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia crosses the finish line to win the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday. Photo: REUTERS

Kensuke Horio clocked the fastest time among Japanese runners, crossing the finish line in a preliminary time of 2 hours, 10 minutes, 21 seconds and claiming a berth for September's Marathon Grand Championship, a qualifying event for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Kyodo reported.

Ethiopia's Ruti Aga won the women's title, finishing in 2:20:40, with Mao Ichiyama, who was competing in her first marathon, clocking the fastest time for Japan at 2:24:33 in seventh place.

The race started in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building in Shinjuku at 9 a.m. The course took runners through Asakusa and Ginza before finishing at Tokyo Station.

As they do each year, many participants ran in costumes.

© Jaoan Today/Kyodo

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


12 Comments
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Nice shot

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Ethiopia was No.1 . Japan was No.1. Sorry, there were no. No.2s .

0 ( +2 / -2 )

What are the RANKING? for both male and women runners?

Thanks.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

And who come first in the fancy dress costume? and who were the runners up, who came second and third? was there any disabled people involved? ie wheel chair uses? is there or was there any fancy dress costume runners that are going to take 1 or 2 days to get around for a charity? the other year in the UK London marathon a chap wore an old fashioned diving suit complete with lead weights and brass helmet! it took his days to get around the course.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

The lady who won the wheelchair race cheered wildly as she crossed the line. She worked so hard for that. It brought tears to my eyes.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Unbelievable! Congratulation to Legese on the win. 2 h 4 m is real good. Close to a World Record. My dream is to one day win the entry to the Tokyo Marathon. I hope to realize a time of 2 h 30 mins.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Can’t imagine running a marathon in that weather. Congratulations to anyone who actually finished it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

They had no muscle at all, there all real skinny. They Cant be steroid cheaters, 

You have absolutely no understanding of what steroids are or the numerous types available, and you're ignorant if you think that elite runners aren't just as doped up as every other athlete in sports like this.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Can’t imagine running a marathon in that weather. Congratulations to anyone who actually finished it.

Agreed.

I ran it in similar weather, back in 2010. Freezing waiting around at the start line for about 45+ minutes before the start... so as soon as the gun goes all the runners are off - heading straight for the toilets to relieve themselves!

I recall it sleeting too, by the time I hit the last 15 kms on the old course... 

Quite horrible, and yesterday wasn't much better, so I hope all the runners don't catch a cold this week and recover well.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Very well done to all those who finished yesterday. Some friends who ran compared it to the very first back in 2007 that bucketed down prior to the starting gun.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@nanda...a its a shame we didn't see those pictures of the lady in the wheel chair, I would have liked the news team to cover all of the runners/participants not just the elite runners.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

There were three different races. Only the wheelchair race did not get a mention.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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