Sutume Kebede reigns supreme in Tokyo Marathon, breaking course record in the process

Addis Ababa, March 3, 2024 (FBC) – Sutume Asefa Kebede of Ethiopia set Japanese all-comers’ record of 2:15:55 to win at the Tokyo Marathon – a World Athletics Platinum Label road race – on Sunday (3).

She secured convincing victory from a strong field in the Japanese capital. Sutume Kebede triumphed ahead of Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru and Amane Beriso, Ethiopia’s world champion.

The Ethiopian marathoner improved the record of 2:16:02 set by Brigid Kosgei in 2022.

Seven women athletes – Kebede, Wanjiru and Beriso plus multiple Olympic and world track gold medallist Sifan Hassan, Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, Betsy Saina and Buzunesh Getachew – ran together in a group alongside male runners and reached 15km in 48:38.

The podium seemed decided at 30km, reached by Wanjiru, Kebede and Beriso in 1:36:43, and after Beriso was dropped, Kebede also managed to shake off Wanjiru and sealed victory over the closing kilometres.

She won in 2:15:55, taking more than two minutes off the PB she set in Seoul in 2022 to move to No.8 on the world all-time list. Wanjiru was second in 2:16:14 and Beriso was third in 2:16:58.

“I am so happy, I don’t really have words for it,” said Kebede, speaking after the race. “It’s my first victory and I don’t have the words to express how happy I am about that.”

Today’s triumph with 2:15:55 takes Sutume Kebede up to 8th place on the women’s all-time list.

Kenya’s Benson Kipruto won the men’s race to move up to 5th on the men’s marathon all time-list with 2:02:16