Athletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Gold medalist Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia at the awarding ceremony. REUTERS/Issei Kato
TOKYO (Reuters) - Ethiopian Birhanu Legese cruised to victory at the Tokyo marathon on Sunday, winning in a time of two hours, four minutes and 48 seconds in miserable conditions to claim his first major title.
The 24-year-old was part of a small leading group for the first 30 kilometres before pulling away easily from runnerup Kenyan Bedan Karoki (2:06:48) and strolling to victory.
Athletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Gold medalist Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia and silver medalist Bedan Karoki of Kenya at the awarding ceremony. REUTERS/Issei Kato
Karoki's compatriot Dickson Chumba, twice a winner in Tokyo, was third.
With rain lashing down for much of a frigid morning, it was never likely to be a fast race.
Japan fancied their chances of a homegrown male victory for the first time since 2010 but Suguru Osako, who set a new Japanese national record in October, struggled to stay with the leading group and pulled out with an injury 30 kilometres in.
Athletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Women's gold medalist Ruti Aga of Ethiopia at the awarding ceremony. REUTERS/Issei Kato
The 27-year-old, touted as Japan’s best hope of delivering Olympic marathon gold when Tokyo hosts the Games in 2020, was distraught as he limped from the route.
Ethiopian Ruti Aga won the women’s race in a time of 2:20:40, edging out compatriot Helen Tola by 21 seconds.
Ethiopians have now won the women’s marathon in Tokyo in six of the last eight editions.
Athletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Women's gold medalist Ruti Aga of Ethiopia and her compatriots silder medalist Helen Tola and bronze medalist Shure Demise at the awarding ceremony. REUTERS/Issei Kato
(Reporting by Jack Tarrant; Editing by Ian Ransom)
Athletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Women's wheelchair division winner Manuela Schar of Switzerland shows her gold medal during an awarding ceremony. REUTERS/Issei KatoAthletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Men's wheelchair division winner Marcel Hug of Switzerland shows his gold medal during an awarding ceremony. REUTERS/Issei KatoAthletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Winner Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia crosses the finish line. REUTERS/Issei KatoAthletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Winner Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia runs towards the finish line, with the Tokyo Station building in the background. REUTERS/Issei KatoAthletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Women's winner Ruti Aga of Ethiopia crosses the finish line. REUTERS/Issei KatoAthletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Women's winner Ruti Aga of Ethiopia runs towards the finish line, with the Tokyo Station building in the background. REUTERS/Issei KatoAthletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Silver medalist Bedan Karoki of Kenya crosses the finish line. REUTERS/Issei KatoAthletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Winner Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia crosses the finish line. REUTERS/Issei KatoDickson Chumba of Kenya crosses the finish line to win the Tokyo Marathon 2018 in Tokyo, Japan in this photo taken by Kyodo February 25, 2018. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERSAthletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Runners at the start of the Tokyo Marathon 2019. REUTERS/Issei KatoAthletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Men's wheelchair division winner Marcel Hug of Switzerland acorsses the finish line. REUTERS/Issei KatoAthletics - Tokyo Marathon 2019 - Tokyo, Japan - 03/03/19 - Women's wheelchair division winner Manuela Schar of Switzerland acorsses the finish line. REUTERS/Issei Kato
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