Ethiopian double win in Tokyo marathon, Cheptegei comes 9th

✳ Tokyo Marathon 2025

Men’s Top 10

1. T. Takele – 2:03:23
2. D. Geleta – 2:03:51
3. V. Ngetich – 2:04:00
4. T. Kipruto – 2:05:34
5. M. Uma – 2:05:46
6. B. Kipruto – 2:05:46
7. G. Toroitich – 2:05:46
8. S. Hassan – 2:05:57
9. J. Cheptegei – 2:05:59
10. T. Ichiyama – 2:06:00

Tokyo, Japan | THE INDEPENDENT | Ethiopians Tadese Takele and Sutume Kebede won the 2025 Tokyo Marathon titles early today.

Kebede clocked 2:16:31 in the women’s race while Takele took the men’s crown in 2:03:23. Joshua Cheptegei came in 9th in a new personal best 2 hours 05:59 minutes in only his second marathon. 

After a slow start, Uganda’s Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion Cheptegei worked his way up the charts to grab 9th place. In his debut marathon in Valencia in 2024, he finished 37th.

Stephen Kissa, who holds the Ugandan national marathon record of 2:04:48, came in 25th in 2:09:34.

Beatrice Ayikoru the General Secretary of Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF), recently said the federation is encouraging athletes who have excelled in track running like Cheptegei, to embrace marathon entrances. She says, the previous athletes didn’t take long in marathons but rather quit the sport. “We encourage the athletes to stay in the sport up to the right time for retirement unless it is due to health-related issues” States Ayikoru.

The Tokyo Marathon will serve as the first of Uganda selection trials for a team to the 2025 World Athletics Championships.

Step by step. 📈@joshuacheptege1 🇺🇬 sets a personal best with a time of 2:05:59 at the @tokyo42195_org.

Birhanu Legese 🇪🇹 finishes in 2:06:07, while Desi Jisa 🇧🇭 and Degitu Azimeraw🇪🇹 run 2:20:07 and 2:20:26.

Hungry for more next time. #NNRunningTeam #TokyoMarathon pic.twitter.com/O0ywPp6scN

— NN Running Team (@NNRunningTeam) March 2, 2025

◥◣ #TokyoMarathon 2025 ◢◤

🌿 First place in the Women’s Marathon! 🌿
Sutume Asefa KEBEDE (Ethiopia) takes the gold! 🏆
Congratulations on the big win! ! 🥇 👏 pic.twitter.com/AkewdThPWE

— Tokyo Marathon Foundation (@TokyoMarathon_E) March 2, 2025