Japanese All-Comers' Record Under Threat at Tokyo Marathon

Published by IAAF on February 20, 2015

The ninth edition of the Tokyo Marathon will be contested on Sunday (22) with both Olympic champions on the startline of the IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

Race director Tad Hayano has once again assembled a formidable field worthy of its World Marathon Majors status. Olympic champions Stephen Kiprotich and Tiki Gelana head the list of invited runners, but that is not all.

On the men’s side, there are four runners with PBs faster than 2:05 and another four runners who have broken the 2:07 barrier. Three runners with PBs faster than 2:23 will line up for the women’s race. Two marathon debutantes are also worth keeping an eye on.

Last year’s race saw both course records broken, but the Japanese all-comers’ records are still standing. The men’s all-comers’ record is 2:05:18, set by Tsegaye Kebede at the 2009 Fukuoka Marathon, while the women’s mark is 2:21:18, set by Mizuki Noguchi at the 2003 Osaka Ladies Marathon.

Elite fields (with PBs)

Men

Dickson Chumba (KEN) 2:04:32
Tsegaye Kebede (ETH) 2:04:38
Endeshaw Negesse (ETH) 2:04:52
Markos Geneti (ETH) 2:04:54
Peter Some (KEN) 2:05:38
Shumi Dechasa (BRN) 2:06:43
Michael Kipyego (KEN) 2:06:48
Joseph Gitau (KEN) 2:06:58
Stephen Kiprotich (UGA) 2:07:20
Yared Asmerom (ERI) 2:07:27
Adil Annani (MAR) 2:07:43 
Arata Fujiwara (JPN) 2:07:48
Kohei Matsumura (JPN) 2:08:09
Ryo Yamamoto (JPN) 2:08:44
Hirokatsu Kurosaki (JPN) 2:09:07
Masato Imai (JPN) 2:09:30
Yuki Sato (JPN) 2:16:31
Tariku Bekele (ETH) debut

Women

Tiki Gelana (ETH) 2:18:58
Berhane Dibaba (ETH) 2:22:30
Flomena Daniel Cheyech (KEN) 2:22:44
Albina Mayorova (RUS) 2:23:52
Yeshi Esayias (ETH) 2:24:06 
Azusa Nojiri (JPN) 2:24:57
Madoka Ogi (JPN) 2:26:55 
Helah Kiprop (KEN) 2:27:14
Lauren Kleppin (USA) 2:28:48 
Selly Kaptich Chepyego (KEN) debut