Dickson Chumba, photo by PhotoRun.net
Birhane Dibaba, photo by PhotoRun.net
The 2018 Tokyo Marathon had exciting races on both men's and women's elite races, as well as the deepest performances by Japanese marathoning history. Perhaps the investment by the JAA, giving the new NR holder the equivalent of $1 million US (actually $996,000, but who really is going to argue with that?), was a strong inducement, but that is for another column.
Justin Lagat, our writer covering Kenya, was up at 3 am local time to watch the race, and fast asleep a little after 5 am. Here's his thoughts on the race, along with two fine instagram posts from the Running Statistician.
The 2018 Tokyo Marathon was one exciting race to watch online.
Kenya's Dickson Chumba and Ethiopia's Birhane Dibaba became the winners in the first Abbott World Marathon major race this year. It was almost a repeat of 2014 where Chumba had won the men's race while Dibaba had finished second in the women's race. It was a great day for Yuta Shitara as well as he set a new national record.
According to Chumba who has frequented the race since it became part of the world marathon majors in 2014 and finishing third in 2015, 2016 and 2017, the conditions were good and have always been for him here. He said he will continue participating in the Tokyo Marathon in the future and now aims to run 2:04 next year.
The race had started out in a fast pace that had the world record in perspective. But, the first casualty of the fast pace became Wilson Kipsang himself, who had requested the fast pace. As the leading pack approached the 15km point, Kipsang began to struggle a bit losing some ground before he suddenly stopped. Later, on his Twitter account, he wrote, "I really wanted to go fast, but after suffering from stomach problems the last 2 days before the race, I didn't have the power to run a decent race today. I'm dissappointed, I was really ready for it. I really wanted to go fast, but after suffering from stomach problems the last 2 days before the race, I didn't have the power to run a decent race today. I'm disappointed. I was really ready for it. #speechless #thanksfans #willbeback"
Dickson Chumba made a well calculated move after around 36km and he was soon in a leading pack of three including Gideon Kipketer and Amos Kipruto. The pack didn't last long as the athletes were soon in a single file at the 37km point. Chumba continued to rapidly build a safe gap at the front as though he knew what was about to happen behind them. Well, Yuta Shitara was about to engage a different gear and start overtaking athletes in the single file ahead of him, one at a time.
Chumba safely crossed the finish line in 2:05:30 ahead of Shitara who overtook five runners in the last few kilometers to finish second in a new national record of 2:06:11. It was a great day for the home fans in Tokyo as six Japanese runners finished in the top ten positions. Amos Kipruto of Kenya finished third in 2:06:33.
Dibaba had a great race in the women's event as she ran alone at the front shortly after shaking off Ruti Aga at the 35km mark. Her winning time of 2:19:51 was so close to the course record time of 2:19:47 set by Sarah Jepchirchir last year. Aga finished second in 2:21:19 while Amy Cragg finished third in 2:21:42. It was not a great day for the Kenyan women in this race as the fastest one, Helah Kiprop, took fifth place.
Waking up at 3am in the morning and searching through many internet links in Japanese language to find a good live coverage of the event did pay for the Kenyan fans and for all the marathon fans across the world after watching such an exciting race. As I went back to sleep at 5am, I kept wishing it was just but a bad dream for Wilson Kipsang, but at the same time feeling happy for Dickson Chumba.
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