TOKYO, JAPAN, March 01 — Former World Record holder Brigid Kosgei simply ran away from the women’s field in the 2026 Tokyo Marathon, soloing the final 10K to run a course record 2:14:29, the fastest ever in Asia and good for 7th on the all-time performance list.
Finishing just 25 seconds shy of her one-time WR, the 32-year-old Kenyan notched her twelfth career marathon win, her second in Tokyo, and sixth WMM title to go along with two in Chicago, ’18 & ’19, and London, ’19 & ’20.
“The race today was very nice. The weather is good,” she said. “This is my second time here. In 2022, I won here, but I ran 2:16:04. I was trying to improve my personal best, I tried my best until I ran 2:14 whereby is a course record and I appreciate that very much.”
Kosgei enjoyed a runaway win, finishing over 2 minutes ahead of a formidable trio of Ethiopian champions with Bertukan Welde crossing 2nd in 2:16:36 and Hawi Feysa 3rd in 2:17:39. Two-time Tokyo defending champ Sutume Asefa ran with Kosgei through 31K then faded to 4th in 2:17:39.
Last November Kosgei won the Shanghai Marathon in 2:16:36, her fastest clocking in 3 years. In January, she caused a bit of a stir in Kenya as she announced her plans to accept a very lucrative offer to shift her allegiance to Türkiye in time for the 2028 Olympics. The financial security seemed to benefit her preparations as Kosgei showed up fit as nails and full of run from start to finish.
Kosgei logged a cautious 16:14 opening 5K accompanied by 13 women, then she just ratcheted up the pace over each consecutive 5K segment, shedding competitors along the way.
Running with two pacers amid a thicket of Japanese sub-elite men, Kosgei laid down a series of 5K segments all under 16:00 through 30K, then ran solo at sub-3:10 K clip and zipped the final 2.2K in 7:00.
Kosgei’s career resurgence inspired a trip to the pros’ portal as the ’21 Olympic silver medalist double-downed on her pending transfer of allegiance application. “I decide to change to run for Türkiye because in Kenya, there is a lot of women that have a fast time. We have a lot of athletes in Kenya and I want some of the young generation to follow my step by to join me in Türkiye.
“I will not start to represent Türkiye until 2028,” Kosgei noted, adding “Already I am aiming at the Olympics coming in 2028; Los Angeles is my whole thing.”
Ethiopian Tadese Takele won a far more competitive men’s race prevailing in a 4-man sprint finish to successfully defend his Tokyo title in 2:03:37 — 14 seconds off last year’s time.
Takele said, “I was able to win for the second time because I had the best training of my career so far. There were some hard parts, but I was able to turn out some speed that I never had before and pull off the win.”
The 23-year-old converted Olympic steepler needed every bit of that speed to pip a trio of Kenyans, as 2nd-place finisher Geofry Kipchumba was given the same 2:03:37 time and 3rd-place finisher Alexander Mutiso crossed a second back in 2:03:38.
Daniel Mateiko crossed 4th with a 2:03:44 PR. With a 2:04:07 PR, accomplished Ethiopian trackster Muktar Edris finished 5th matching his debut effort last April in Boston. Iliass Aouani, who earned World Champs bronze in the Japanese capital last September, ran a 100 second PR to set the Italian record at 2:04:26. Tokyo Olympic 10,000 champion Selemon Barega finished 7th in 2:05:00.
BYU grad Casey Clinger finished 24th running a PR 2:08:42, a 7:23 improvement on his debut time from Chicago last fall.
The men’s race started slowly, lagging well behind the targeted 2:02 pace. Local favorite Ryuichi Hashimoto took off at 3K in a rather spirited banzai charge, running well out in front to cross halfway in 61:28 and hold the lead through 26.5 K.
Takele ran near the back of the pack looking the part of a converted steepler with a somewhat gangly stride and full head of hair towering over his more compact rivals. Under the mentorship of coach Gemedu Dedefo, Takele has become a skilled racer, efficiently covering ground and moves, and was more than content to bide his time.
“I think it was a good pace,” Takele said. “Even if it was slow, I knew that we can regain pace later on. I didn’t intend to break out, so I tried to control and sustain my pace, by keeping myself in the pack until the very final stage.”
After the pacers stepped aside at 30K (1:28:00 — 2:03:46 pace), 9 athletes ran together through 36K when Mutiso and Mateiko started jamming at the front. In the span of a 2:47 K the lead group was pared to four who sustained the high pace through a 14:30 5K and ran four abreast heading into the final 2.2K.
Mutiso and Kipchumba edged ahead with a kilometer left and Mateiko gave out 600 meters from the finish. Takele moved to the front, taking the inside position heading into the final turn and hit the 100-meter finishing straight in full flight.
Fitness and course experience favored the defending champ. “At the very end the decisive element was training,” he said. “I had planned to accelerate at the very end, I had thought the decisive point will be at 200 meters before the finish line.
“At 41 kilos, I took a wait-and-see attitude and with 200 meters remaining, I spurred and was able to get the first place. Today’s race was a great one.”
TOKYO MEN’S RESULTS
1. Tadese Takele (Eth) 2:03:37; 2. Geofry Kipchumba (Ken) 2:03:37; 3. Alexander Mutiso (Ken) 2:03:38; 4. Daniel Mateiko (Ken) 2:03:44 PR; 5. Muktar Edris (Eth) 2:04:07 PR; 6. Iliass Aouani (Ita) 2:04:26 NR; 7. Selemon Barega (Eth) 2:05:00 PR; 8. Seifu Tura (Eth) 2:05:02; 9. Vincent Ngetich (Ken) 2:05:21; 10. Shifera Tamru (Eth) 2:05:56; 11. Peiyou Feng (Chn) 2:05:58 NR; 12. Suguru Osako (Jpn) 2:05:59; 13. Kengo Suzuki (Jpn) 2:06:09; 14. Cam Levins (Can) 2:06:49; 15. Tsubasa Ichiyama (Jpn) 2:06:58;… 24. Casey Clinger (US) 2:08:43 PR.
TOKYO WOMEN’S RESULTS
1. Brigid Kosgei (Ken) 2:14:29 (WL) (x, 7 W); 2. Bertukan Welde (Eth) 2:16:36 PR; 3. Hawi Feysa (Eth) 2:17:39; 4. Sutume Asefa (Eth) 2:17:39; 5. Alemu Megertu (Eth) 2:18:50; 6. Violah Lagat (Ken) 2:19:05 PR; 7. Mestawot Fikir (Eth) 2:20:00; 8. Aberu Ayana (Eth) 2:20:30; 9. Pascalia Chepkogei (Ken) 2:21:39 PR; 10. Ai Hosoda (Jpn) 2:23:39; 11. Rosemary Wanjiru (Ken) 2:24:47; 12. Ying Lu (Chn) 2:26:35 PR; 13. Zhixuan Li (Chn) 2:26:53; 14. Yumi Yoshikawa (Jpn) 2:27:21; 15. Kristine Eikrem Engeset (Nor) 2:28:57 PR;… 19. Sinead Diver (Aus) 2:29:57 (49 years old);… 41. Stephanie Benko (US) 2:41:58 PR.
