Snapshot:
- The lead group went out in world record pace in the first half
- Kipchoge faded badly, finishing far back in the pack
- Kipruto ran nearly 2 minutes faster than his previous best to win
- He’s now won three of the six World Marathon Majors
Kenya’s Benson Kipruto stunned just about everyone in the running world by winning the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday in 2:02:15. His performance is both a course and a all-comer’s record in Japan.
Kipruto and fellow countryman Timothy Kiplagat hung in a lead pack, which included headliner and clear favorite Eliud Kipchoge. The two dominated the second half of the race, fracturing the lead group with blistering pacing, which stayed below world record pace for the first 21K.
A new course record in Tokyo!
— FloTrack (@FloTrack) March 3, 2024
Benson Kipruto breaks Eliud Kipchoge's 2:02:40 Tokyo Marathon record with a 2:02:15 win.#TokyoMarathon pic.twitter.com/o5Ji5m36HE
Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich, also of Kenya, loomed in the quartet as well, yo-yoing back and forth between second and third place until Kipruto and Kiplagat despensed of him at around 36K.
Kipruto provided tenacious, falling back briefly to Kiplagat, only to claw his way back, and finally create a significant gap with two kilometers to go. He then held on to grab the course and all-comer’s records by 31 seconds, and the significant bonus money attached to those feats.
Kiplagat held on to second, running 2:01:55.
🚨KIPCHOGE GETTING DROPPED IN TOKYO🚨 pic.twitter.com/2CvahLwBlm
— Mac Fleet (@macfleet1) March 3, 2024
The legendary marathoner Eliud Kipchoge came into the race as the clear favorite, with the only lingering question being whether or not he would attempt to retake the world record. It appeared to be the plan in the early going of the race, with the pacers taking the lead group through in near 2:00 pace. But that level of intensity proved to be too much for Kipchoge, and he faded quickly at roughly 26K, before falling off the pace entirely and being swallowed up by several runners in the chase pack. He finished in 2:06:50, and 10th place.
Ngetich finished in third in 2:04:18.
Men’s Results
- Benson Kipruto 🇰🇪 2:02:16 (CR)
- Timothy Kiplagat 🇰🇪 2:02:55
- Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich 2:04:18
- Hailemaryam Kiros 🇪🇹 2:05:43
- Tsegaye Getachew 🇪🇹 2:06:25
- Bethwel Kibet 🇰🇪 2:06:26
- Haimro Alame 🇮🇱 2:06:27
- Simon Kariuki 🇰🇪 2:06:29
- Yusuke Nishiyama 🇯🇵 2:06:31
- Eliud Kipchoge 🇰🇪 2:06:50
