adminTOKYO. — Dickson Chumba won the men’s race at the Tokyo Marathon yesterday in a meet record of two hours, five minutes and 42 seconds as Kenyan and Ethiopian runners dominated the event. The 27-year-old Kenyan was followed home by Tadese Tola of Ethiopia at 2:05:57 and fellow countryman Sammy Kitwara at 2:06:30.
Runners from the two African countries swept the top seven spots in the men’s race and the top five in the women’s.
Ethiopia’s Tirfi Tsegaye won the women’s race in a meet record of 2:22:23.
Fellow Ethiopian Berhane Dibaba finished second at 2:22:30 and Lucy Kabuu of Kenya third at 2:24:16.
The men’s race turned into a contest between 10 African runners after 30 kilometres and the front pack slimmed to four at the 35-kilometre mark.
Chumba spurted ahead after 40 kilometres with Tola struggling behind him.
“I have trained fully,” Chumba said after breaking his own personal best time of 2:05:46, which he clocked in winning the Eindhoven Marathon in October 2012. “I had planned to go for it after 35 kilometres,” he said. “I want to win a bigger race.”
After his Eindhoven triumph, Chumba had been without a marathon title. — AFP.
Online Reporter