Meseret Defar Chooses Tokyo Marathon for Her Marathon Debut

By Adam Kopet

Meseret Defar has had an outstanding career on the track. But now the 34-year-old Ethiopian is turning to the roads. According to Ethiosports, Defar will make her marathon debut next month at the Tokyo Marathon.

On the track, Defar has won two Olympic golds and a silver at 5,000 meters going back to 2004. She has added two world championship golds, a silver and two bronzes, also in the 5,000.

Equally good running on a 200-meter oval, Defar has medaled seven times in the 3,000 at the IAAF World Indoor Championships since 2003, four of those being gold.

Defar has already begun her transition to the roads. She holds a half marathon personal best of 1:06:09.

Defar's primary rival on the track had been Tirunesh Dibaba. Dibaba has already found success at the marathon distance, running 2:17:56 at last year's London Marathon.

The men's race in Tokyo is led by the defending champion and course record holder Wilson Kipsang.