The Tokyo Marathon 2025 is set to kick off the Abbott World Marathon Majors series, marking the beginning of the elite global marathon season with the 18th edition of the race. This year, the marathon has expanded to seven races, including Sydney, attracting 169 elite runners out of the 38,000 participants. The course spans 26.2 miles from the Tokyo Metropolitan Building to the Tokyo Station, offering a flat and speedy track.

Last year witnessed remarkable performances by Benson Kipruto from Kenya and Sutume Asefa Kebede from Ethiopia, who set new course records in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively. Both athletes are returning to defend their titles in this year’s race. Notably, for Japanese participants, the Tokyo Marathon serves as a direct qualifier for the World Athletics Championships scheduled in Tokyo later this year.

The race is scheduled to start at 09:10 local time on Sunday, March 2, with broadcasting details varying by region. Nippon Television will air the event in Japan, while global broadcasting partners such as Eurosport, Canal+, Flo Sports, and ESPN International covered the race in over 160 countries last year.

In the men’s elite field, attention is on Benson Kipruto, the defending champion, and a strong lineup including Joshua Cheptegei from Uganda, aiming to leverage his track success into a stellar marathon performance. Other contenders such as Birhanu Legese, Deresa Geleta, Tadese Takele, and Dawit Wolde from Ethiopia, along with Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich from Kenya, add to the competitive field.

On the women’s side, the defending champion Sutume Asefa Kebede faces tough competition from Brigid Kosgei and Rosemary Wanjiru, both former Tokyo winners with impressive personal bests. Tigist Ketema from Ethiopia and other contenders like Hawi Feysa, Gotytom Gebreslase, and Japanese athletes Ai Hosoda and Yuka Ando are expected to challenge for top positions.

The Tokyo Marathon promises an exciting showdown among elite athletes, with records to be broken and new champions to emerge. Stay tuned for the race report, results, and official times following this prestigious event.