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Elite Fields Announced for Tokyo Marathon

Published by
RunnerSpace.com/RoadRacing   Jan 23rd 2014, 3:33pm
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Tola, Kirui and Kabuu Head the Field of Tokyo Marathon

The list of names of invited runners for this year’s Tokyo Marathon, the IAAF Gold Label race, was announced on January 23.  The 2014 edition of the World Marathon Major race is scheduled to take place on Sunday February 23. In the men’s field, one 2:04 runners, five 2:05 runners and two 2:06 runners were invited from abroad, while in the women’s field one 2:19 runner, one 2:21 runners, one 2:22 runners, and five 2:23 runners are invited from abroad.  

The fastest man in the field is Tadesse Tola of Ethiopia, who recorded personal best of 2:04:49 in 2013 Dubai Marathon where he finished third.  The time is also the fastest third place time in history.  Last year, he not only won the bronze medal in the 2013 World Championships, but Tola ran four marathons which averaged to 2:07:15, the fastest season average for four marathons.  Furthermore the average of three fastest marathons in the 2013 season for Tadese Tola is 2:06:13, also the fastest in history. 

The second fastest man in the field is two-time world champion Abel Kirui. Kirui is an ultimate championships runner, having won the 2009 and 2011 World Championships before finishing second in the 2012 Olympic Games marathon in London. In the World Championships marathon, not only Kirui has the Championships record, but he has two fastest times in the World Championships marathon to his credit. Furthermore, in the 2011 World Championships, Kirui won the gold medal by two minutes and 28 seconds, the largest winning margin ever in the World Championships marathon.

Sammy Kitwara and Geoffrey Kipsang are both accomplished half marathon runners. Kitwara has the fastest half marathon best (58:48) in the field and he has cracked the magical one-hour barrier five times in his career, most among the invited runners. Furthermore, Kitwara is one of the 14 runners who have broken 59 minutes for the half marathon and one of only four runners who has cracked 59 minutes for half marathon multiple times.  Geoffrey Kipsang, 2011 World Cross Country junior Champion, has the best of 58:54 for the half marathon. He has broken 60 minutes for the half marathon four times.

Michael Kipyego, 2012 Tokyo Marathon champion, who finished second in 2013 edition, has a chance to become the first two-time winner, for nobody won Tokyo Marathon twice.

Other top runners are Peter Some, 2013 Paris Marathon winner, Deressa Chimsa, 2012 World Half Marathon silver medalist with the marathon best of 2:05:42, and Dickson Chumba, 2012 Eindhoven winner.

Furthermore, top finishers from the World Champion have also entered the race. Viktor Rothlin was third in 2007 World Championships while Yared Asmerom was fourth in the same race. Abderrahim Bouramdane was fourth in 2011 World Championships.

The fastest runner on the women’s side is Lucy Kabuu Wangui, who ran 2:19:34, second fastest marathon debut in history, at 2012 Dubai Marathon. Kabuu, fifth fastest half marathon runner with the best of 1:06:09, used to run for Suzuki track team in Japan.

Tirfi Tsegaye, 2012 Paris and 2013 Dubai Marathon winner, is the second fastest in the field with the best of 2:21:19 while Atsede Baysa, 2010 Paris and 2012 Chicago Marathon champion, is the third fastest in the field.

As for the Japanese Arata Fujiwara with the best of 2:07:48 from 2012 Tokyo Marathon is the fastest in the field, but Kentaro Nakamoto, fifth in 2013 World Championships and sixth in 2012 Olympics, is a more consistent runner.  However, Yuki Sato and Chihiro Miyawaki may attract more media attention. For Sato, second fastest 5000m and 10000m runner in Japan, it will be his second marathon after dismal 2:16:31 finish in last year’s Tokyo Marathon. For Miyawaki, 60:53 half marathon and 27:41.57 10000m runner, Tokyo will be his debut. 

 

List of Invited runners:

Abel Kirui                                 2:05:04            2009 Rotterdam 

Tadese Tola                            2:04:49            2013 Dubai

Michael Kipyego                      2:06:48            2011 Einhoven

Sammy Kitwara                       2:05:16            2013 Chicago

Peter Some                              2:05:38            2013 Paris

Deressa Chimsa                      2:05:42            2012 Dubai

Dickson Chumba                     2:05:46            2012 Eindhoven

Geoffrey Kipsang                   2:06:12            2012 Berlin

Viktor Rothlin                         2:07:23            2008 Tokyo

Yared Asmerom                      2:07:27            2011 Chunchon

Abderrahim Bouramdane           2:07:33            2010 London

Cyrus Njui                             2:09:10            2011 Tokyo

 

Women 

Lucy Kabuu Wangui                2:19:34            2012 Dubai

Tirfi Tsegaye                         2:21:19            2012 Berlin

Atsede Baysa                        2:22:03            2012 Chicago 

Birhane Dibaba                      2:23:01            2013 Frankfurt

Merima Mohamed Hasen          2:23:06            2010 Toronto

Caroline Rotich                       2:23:22            2012 Chicago

Olena Shurkhno                      2:23:32            2012 Berlin

Albina Mayorova                     2:23:52            2012 Nagoya

Janet Rono                            2:28:36            2013 Koln

 

Japanese 

Arata Fujiwara                        2:07:48            2012 Tokyo

Kentaro Nakamoto                   2:08:35            2013 Beppu-Oita

Suehiro Ishikawa                    2:09:10            2013 Lake Biwa

Takehiro Deki                           2:10:02            2012 Lake Biwa

Kohei Matsumura                    2:10:12            2013 Lake Biwa

Tomoya Adachi                       2:10:22            2013 Lake Biwa 

Yuki Sato                                 2:16:31            2013 Tokyo

Chihiro Miyawaki                     Debut

 

Women

Mai Ito                                      2:25:26            2012 Nagoya

Yoko Shibui                             2:19:41            2004 Berlin

Azusa Nojiri                             2:24:57            2012 Osaka

 

Other Elites

Mekubo Job Mogusu               2:11:02            2013 Tokyo 

Benjamin Gandu                      Debut 

Yoshiko Fujinaga                     2:25:40            2012 Nagoya



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