Takele Defends Tokyo Marathon Title in 2:03:37

Tokyo, Japan – Ethiopian runner Tadese Takele defended his title at the 2026 Tokyo Marathon on March 1, winning the men's race in a world-leading time of 2:03:37 amid a field packed with record-breaking performances. In the women's event, Brigid Kosgei of Turkey set a Japanese all-comers record of 2:14:29, the seventh-fastest marathon time in history, though she finished fourth after leading much of the race.

The marathon, the first of the Abbott World Marathon Majors series, unfolded under sunny conditions with temperatures in the low 50s Fahrenheit at the start. Takele's victory capped a fiercely competitive men's race where early leader Ryuichi Hashimoto of Japan set a brisk pace before the pack thinned. A group including Takele, Geoffrey Toroitich of Uganda, Alexander Munyao of Kenya and Daniel Mateiko of Kenya battled through the final kilometers. Takele surged ahead in the closing stages to edge Toroitich, with Munyao and Mateiko finishing close behind in third and fourth, respectively. Muktar Edris of Ethiopia placed fifth with a personal best of 2:04:07.

The depth of the field produced several national records. Italy's Iliass Aouani, a recent world championship bronze...