Tadese Takele retains Tokyo Marathon title after sprint finish

TOKYO – Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele successfully defended his Tokyo Marathon title on March 1, barely edging out Geoffrey Toroitich of Kenya in a sprint finish to cross the line in 2hr 3min 37sec.

The 23-year-old finished with the same official time as Toroitich after a dramatic battle for the tape, with Kenya’s Alexander Mutiso Munyao just one second further back in third place.

“I knew that the final stage would be decisive,” said Takele.

“Around 41km I wanted to wait and see what would happen and then I made my move right before the finish.”

Another Kenyan, Brigid Kosgei, won the women’s race in 2:14:29, a new course record.

Bertukan Welde of Ethiopia was second in 2:16:36, followed by her compatriot Hawi Feysa in 2:17:39.

In warm, dry conditions in the Japanese capital, a men’s leading pack including Takele, Toroitich, Munyao and Kenya’s Daniel Mateiko broke away around the 37km mark.

Takele made a late move and managed to stay in front despite a last-gasp challenge from Toroitich. Munyao fell short in third place, while his countryman Mateiko finished six seconds behind in fourth.

“Today’s race was a great one,” added Takele.

“There was intense and positive competition, and I’m truly happy that I was able to win.”

The men’s field was weakened by the absence of Kenyan Timothy Kiplagat and Ethiopia’s Milkesa Mengesha, as both withdrew through injury in the lead-up to the race.

In the women’s competition, Kosgei was in a class of her own and finished more than two minutes clear of her nearest rival.

The 32-year-old, who won the Tokyo Marathon and an Olympic silver medal also in Tokyo in 2021, has said that she will compete for Turkey at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

“We have a lot of athletes in Kenya,” she said.

“I want some young generation to follow my step to join me in Turkey.”

In other athletics news, Italy’s Francesco Fortunato took nearly 13 seconds off the world indoor 5,000 metres race walk record on Feb 28, clocking 17min 54.48sec at the Italian indoor championships.

The European 20km bronze medallist eclipsed the previous mark of 18:07.08 set by Russia’s Mikhail Shchennikov in 1995.

Fortunato, 31, had posted a faster time of 17:55.65 at the same championships in 2025, but the performance was not ratified due to a technical judging issue.

“I’m satisfied with myself,” he said. “I came here to try again and I didn’t give up. After the disappointment last year, I felt this was a record I deserved.”

Elsewhere, Emmanouil Karalis became the second best pole vaulter in history as he cleared 6.17m at the Greek indoor championships on Feb 28, still far below the 6.30m world record of Armand Duplantis.

Sweden’s Duplantis has vaulted 6.17m or better 14 times.

The Greek athlete took bronze at the Paris Olympics in 2024 and silver at the 2025 indoor and outdoor world championships – all of which were won by the Swede.

Karalis had a previous best of 6.08m. AFP, REUTERS