Ethiopians Takele and Kebede Dominate 2025 Tokyo Marathon

via ap.com

The 2025 Tokyo Marathon delivered a showcase of endurance, speed, and tactical brilliance as Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele and Sutume Asefa Kebede stormed to victory in their respective divisions. On a crisp spring morning in the heart of Japan’s capital, both runners put on commanding performances, securing a clean sweep for Ethiopia in one of the most competitive races of the year.

Tadese Takele’s Breakthrough Victory

For Tadese Takele, this was more than just a win—it was a statement. The 23-year-old Ethiopian shattered his personal best, crossing the finish line in an astonishing 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 23 seconds.

Coming into the race, much of the attention was on Joshua Cheptegei and Benson Kipruto, but Takele had other plans. He ran with patience and precision, making his decisive move in the final kilometers to secure his biggest marathon victory to date.

How the Race Unfolded

From the gun, the race took on an aggressive pace, with a lead pack of elite runners hitting 5K splits well below 15 minutes. As they passed through halfway in 61:35, it was clear that the battle for the podium would be intense.

Takele made his move with just 5K to go, dropping his rivals with a brutal surge that only Deresa Geleta could attempt to cover. In the end, Takele’s strength proved unmatched, and he stormed to victory ahead of his compatriot.

• 1st – Tadese Takele (Ethiopia) – 2:03:23 (PB)

• 2nd – Deresa Geleta (Ethiopia) – 2:03:51

• 3rd – Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich (Kenya) – 2:04:00

This marks a massive breakthrough for Takele, who had previously finished outside the top three in major marathons. His win puts him firmly in the conversation for a potential Olympic medal later this year.

Sutume Asefa Kebede Goes Back-to-Back in Tokyo

On the women’s side, Sutume Asefa Kebede defended her Tokyo Marathon title with another dominant performance, clocking 2:16:31—one of the fastest times ever recorded on this course.

Unlike the men’s race, where the lead pack stayed together for much of the race, Kebede took a fearless approach, going to the front early and never looking back. By the halfway point (1:08:05), she had already built a small lead, and over the next 10 kilometers, she extended her advantage with metronomic pacing.

Results – Women’s Elite Race

• 1st – Sutume Asefa Kebede (Ethiopia) – 2:16:31

• 2nd – Winfridah Moraa Moseti (Kenya) – 2:16:56

• 3rd – Hawi Feysa (Ethiopia) – 2:17:00

Kebede’s wire-to-wire victory proves she is one of the most dominant marathoners in the world right now. The fact that she led from the start and never faded shows her incredible strength and fitness.

A New Era for Ethiopian Women’s Marathon Running?

Kebede’s back-to-back wins in Tokyo could mark a shift in Ethiopian women’s marathon dominance. With Brigid Kosgei, Peres Jepchirchir, and Ruth Chepngetich all dealing with injuries or inconsistent form, Kebede might just be Ethiopia’s next Olympic champion.

The Top Japanese Finishers: A Promising Performance

While the Ethiopian and Kenyan runners dominated the podium, the local fans had something to cheer for with solid performances from Japan’s top marathoners.

• Men’s Top Japanese Finisher: Tsubasa Ichiyama (10th place, 2:06:00)

• Women’s Top Japanese Finisher: Yuka Ando (10th place, 2:23:37)

Both Ichiyama and Ando’s performances were strong signs for Japanese marathon running, especially with the Paris Olympics on the horizon. With continued improvements, Japan could be in contention for a breakthrough medal in the coming years.