Ethiopian athletes showcased their dominance at the 2025 Tokyo Marathon, securing victories in both the men’s and women’s races while Kenyan runners struggled to keep up.
In the men’s category, Tadese Tekele from Ethiopia put on a remarkable performance, clinching the title with a personal best time of 2:03:23. He managed to outpace a highly competitive field, including his compatriots and Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, as well as the defending champion, Benson Kipruto of Kenya.
Kipruto, an Olympic marathon bronze medallist, had entered the race with high expectations. In the pre-race press conference, he expressed confidence in his training and was aiming to break his own course record set the previous year. However, the competition proved too tough, and he ultimately finished sixth in 2:05:46.
The second-place finisher was another Ethiopian, who completed the race in 2:03:51. Kenyan Vincent Kipkemboi, known for his second-place finish behind Eliud Kipchoge at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, rounded off the podium with a time of 2:04:00.
Joshua Cheptegei, competing in only his second marathon following his debut at the 2023 Valencia Marathon, finished ninth in 2:05:59.
The women’s race saw an equally dominant display from Ethiopia as Sutume Asefa Kebede claimed victory in a commanding fashion. She crossed the finish line in 2:16:31, leading from the front and gradually widening the gap throughout the race.
Kenyan runner Winfridah Moraa Moseti took second place with a time of 2:16:56, while Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa secured third place, finishing in 2:17:00.
Rosemary Wanjiru, who had hopes of reclaiming the title she won in 2023, struggled to keep up with the leaders and finished fifth in 2:19:57. Former world champion Gotytom Gebreslase also found the competition tough, crossing the finish line in seventh place with a time of 2:20:25.
Among the Japanese competitors, Tubasa Ichiyama was the top finisher in the men’s race, securing 10th place with a time of 2:06:00. In the women’s category, Yuka Ando was the first Japanese runner to cross the line, finishing in 10th place with a time of 2:23:37.
This year’s Tokyo Marathon highlighted Ethiopia’s growing dominance in long-distance running, as their athletes outperformed their Kenyan counterparts in both races.
