Ethiopians dominated the 2025 Tokyo Marathon, with Tadese Takele and Sutume Kebede winning the men’s and women’s categories respectively. Kipruto fell to sixth place, marking a significant change in performance. Kenya’s Vincent Kipkemoi claimed third place while several notable Kenyan female runners also competed strongly. The event featured a total prize pool of $286,000.
Ethiopian athletes showcased their prowess at the 2025 Tokyo Marathon, dominating both the men’s and women’s divisions while Kenyan runners struggled to compete effectively. Tadese Takele, an Ethiopian and underdog in the race, triumphed in the men’s category with a remarkable personal best time of 2:03:23, making history as the youngest victor of the Tokyo Marathon at only 22 years of age.
Kenyan Benson Kipruto, who previously won the 2024 Tokyo Marathon with a course record of 2:02:16, encountered challenges this year, finishing sixth with a time of 2:05:46. Notably, this marked the first occasion since the 2020 London Marathon where Kipruto did not place in the top three.
Vincent Kipkemoi emerged as Kenya’s top performer, claiming third place with a time of 2:04:00, just behind Ethiopian Deleta Geresa, who secured second with a clocking of 2:03:51. Titus Kipruto followed in fourth place with a time of 2:05:34, while Geoffrey Toroitich made a noteworthy debut, finishing seventh with the same time as Kipruto but experiencing a photo finish.
Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei, the reigning world and Olympic champion in the 10,000 meters, struggled to adapt to the marathon distance, finishing ninth with a personal best of 2:05:59. Two-time Tokyo Marathon champion Birhanu Legese marked his return to the race with an 11th-place finish, completing the course in 2:06:06.
In the women’s race, Sutume Kebede of Ethiopia successfully defended her title, clocking in at 2:16:31. With this victory, she became the first woman to win consecutive Tokyo Marathons and only the second ever to achieve two wins since compatriot Birhane Dibaba.
Kenyan Winfridah Moraa followed Kebede in second place with a personal best of 2:16:56, showcasing her development as a formidable marathon runner. The podium was rounded out by Hawi Feysa of Ethiopia, who completed the race in 2:17:00, while Kenyan Magdalyne Masai finished fourth in 2:19:28, and Rosemary Wanjiru, the 2023 champion, came in fifth at 2:19:57.
The prize purse for the 2025 Tokyo Marathon totaled $286,000, with the winners of both categories awarded $78,100 each. Below are the complete results for the top ten finishers in both the men’s and women’s events.
The 2025 Tokyo Marathon witnessed a dominant performance from Ethiopian athletes, with Tadese Takele and Sutume Kebede winning respectively in the men’s and women’s races. Kenya faced a challenging competition, with Benson Kipruto falling outside the top three for the first time in several years. The event showcased not only remarkable records but also a reassertion of Ethiopia’s marathon supremacy on a global stage.
Original Source: eastleighvoice.co.ke
