Only two males and two ladies in historical past have received the Tokyo Marathon greater than as soon as. Defending champions Sutume Asefa Kebede and Tadese Takele will try to be part of that choose group once they return to the World Athletics Platinum Label highway race on Sunday (1).
Following their victories within the Japanese capital final yr, they returned to Tokyo later in 2025 for the World Championships marathon, the place neither produced the performances they’d hoped for. Now again on acquainted roads, the Ethiopian pair will intention to make amends in opposition to fields filled with main marathon winners, international medallists and a former world record-holder.
The ladies’s discipline assembles the winners of the previous 4 editions, and between them they maintain the 4 quickest profitable performances in race historical past. Four athletes sit inside the highest seven within the present world rankings, whereas 5 members of the sector characteristic among the many prime 15 performers on the world all-time listing.
Defending champion Kebede has dominated latest editions of the race, profitable in each 2024 and 2025. She set a course report of two:15:55 in 2024 and adopted it with 2:16:31 the next yr. Currently ranked fifth on the earth, Kebede returns for her first marathon since ending twenty seventh at the World Championships in Tokyo and shall be keen to return to profitable methods.
Former world record-holder Brigid Kosgei returns in search of a second Tokyo title. The 2021 Olympic silver medallist nonetheless ranks fifth on the world all-time listing thanks to her 2:14:04 efficiency – a world report at the time – from 2019. She confirmed robust type final yr by profitable in Shanghai in 2:16:36 – her quickest marathon since her Tokyo victory in 2022 – and now bids to develop into simply the third girl to win the race twice.
World No.4 Hawi Feysa arrives in excellent type following victory at the 2025 Chicago Marathon, the place she set a PB of two:14:57. Despite contesting solely 5 marathons to date, she already sits seventh on the world all-time listing and ranks because the second-fastest Ethiopian girl in historical past. She completed third in Tokyo final yr so shall be hoping to go at least one higher.
Rosemary Wanjiru, the 2023 Tokyo champion, completed runner-up in 2024 in a PB of two:16:14 earlier than putting fifth final yr and later claiming victory at the Berlin Marathon.
Another robust contender is Megertu Alemu, a a number of podium finisher at each the London and Chicago Marathons. She set her PB of two:16:34 when ending fourth in London in 2024 earlier than profitable the Valencia Marathon later that yr. After ending second in Chicago in October 2025, she recorded DNFs in Shenzhen and Xiamen, so she’ll be hoping for higher fortunes when making her Tokyo debut this weekend.
Rising Ethiopian Bertukan Welde goals to proceed a formidable upward trajectory. After profitable the Prague Marathon in 2:20:55, she improved to 2:17:56 when ending second in Amsterdam and opened her 2026 season with victory at the Montferland Half Marathon. Tokyo shall be simply the fourth marathon of her profession.
Other notable entrants embrace Ethiopian duo Mestawut Fikir and Mekides Shimeles, Japan’s Ai Hosoda, marathon debutante Grace Loibach Nawowuna of Kenya, and USA’s Sara Hall.
Defending champion Tadese Takele headlines a males’s discipline loaded with depth and expertise. The former steeplechase specialist, who earned African silver in that occasion in 2022, has made a seamless transition to the marathon in recent times. He clocked 2:03:24 on his debut at the gap to end third in Berlin in 2023 earlier than bettering to 2:03:23 in his Tokyo victory final yr.
The 23-year-old, who has solely accomplished three marathons to date, returns to Tokyo in search of redemption after recording a DNF at the World Championships final yr.
Timothy Kiplagat is the quickest entrant on paper with a PB of two:02:55, set when ending second in Tokyo in 2024 within the race that produced the course report of two:02:16. His most up-to-date outing was a Twelfth-place end at the Chicago Marathon final October, whereas his most up-to-date marathon victory got here in Dubai in 2022.
The discipline additionally consists of Kenya’s Alexander Mutiso Munyao, winner of the 2024 London Marathon and third in London in 2025. He set his PB of two:03:11 when ending second in Valencia in 2023 and late final yr he narrowly missed out on victory at the 2025 New York City Marathon.
Milkesa Mengesha, winner of the 2024 Berlin Marathon in a PB of two:03:17, additionally strains up after claiming victory at the Shanghai Marathon late final yr. The Ethiopian is at the moment fourth on the earth rankings, making him the highest-ranked contender of the entries.
Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich, third in Tokyo for the previous two years, owns a PB of two:03:13 set when ending runner-up in Berlin in 2023. Fellow Kenyan Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba completed sixth in Tokyo final yr in his first accomplished marathon earlier than occurring to win in Amsterdam in a PB of two:03:30.
Other Ethiopian contenders embrace two athletes who’re transitioning to the roads having beforehand received international titles on the monitor.
Selemon Barega, who’ll be returning to town the place he received the 2021 Olympic 10,000m title, received the Seville Marathon in 2:05:15 on his debut at the gap in 2025, whereas two-time world 5000m champion Muktar Edris ran 2:05:59 to end fifth in Boston final yr in his marathon debut.
Former Chicago Marathon winner Seifu Tura brings a PB of two:04:29, whereas Chalu Deso Gelmisa, the 2023 Tokyo champion, returns following victory at the Hangzhou Marathon final November.
Other entrants embrace Canadian record-holder Cam Levins, fifth in Tokyo in 2023 and fourth at the World Championships in 2022, and Italy’s world bronze medallist Iliass Aouani. Japanese hopes, in the meantime, will relaxation on nationwide record-holder Suguru Osako and former nationwide record-holder Kengo Suzuki.
Leading entries
Women
Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:14:04
Hawi Feysa (ETH) 2:14:57
Sutume Asefa Kebede (ETH) 2:15:55
Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN) 2:16:14
Megertu Alemu (ETH) 2:16:34
Bertukan Welde (ETH) 2:17:56
Mestawut Fikir (ETH) 2:18:48
Mekides Shimeles (ETH) 2:19:56
Aberu Ayana (ETH) 2:20:20
Waganesh Mekasha (ETH) 2:20:26
Ai Hosoda (JPN) 2:20:31
Azmera Gebru (ETH) 2:20:48
Sara Hall (USA) 2:20:32
Viola Cheptoo (KEN) 2:21:40
Pascalia Jepkogei (KEN) 2:22:47
Yumi Yoshikawa (JPN) 2:25:20
Grace Loibach Nawowuna (KEN) debut
Men
Timothy Kiplagat (KEN) 2:02:55
Alexander Mutiso Munyao (KEN) 2:03:11
Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich (KEN) 2:03:13
Milkesa Mengesha (ETH) 2:03:17
Tadese Takele (ETH) 2:03:23
Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba (KEN) 2:03:30
Dawit Wolde (ETH) 2:03:48
Daniel Mateiko (KEN) 2:04:24
Seifu Tura (ETH) 2:04:29
Chalu Deso Gelmisa (ETH) 2:04:53
Suguru Osako (JPN) 2:04:55
Kengo Suzuki (JPN) 2:04:56
Selemon Barega (ETH) 2:05:15
Shifera Tamru (ETH) 2:05:18
Cam Levins (CAN) 2:05:36
Ryota Kondo (JPN) 2:05:39
Suldan Hassan (SWE) 2:05:57
Muktar Edris (ETH) 2:05:59
Tsubasa Ichiyama (JPN) 2:06:00
Iliass Aouani (ITA) 2:06:06
Simon Kariuki (KEN) 2:06:29
