Who are the favorites for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Marathon - all against Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei!

RUNNEA
Redacción RUNNEA Team
Posted on 04-08-2021

Two key dates in the closing of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: Saturday, August 7 and Sunday, August 8, 2021, starting at 00:00. In other words: the Olympic women's marathon and the Olympic men's marathon at Tokyo 2020. All these names are dreaming of winning gold, silver and bronze medals in both the men's and women's events.

The road to the starting line has been long and arduous, as it always is when it comes to getting a bib to compete in the marathon of marathons. Let's take a look at the favorites for both the women's Olympic marathon and the men's Olympic marathon competition. Apart from all these names that are set to shine on the asphalt of Sapporo, RUNNEA also presents the complete list of participants in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Marathon, including Spanish athletes.

All the favorites for the women's marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

The favorites for the women's marathon at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which will take place on Saturday, August 7, 2021 at 00:00 (Spanish time) are the Kenyans and the Ethiopians. The rival to beat will be the Kenyan athlete Brigid Kosgei, who holds the current world record for the distance2.14:04).

Her world record of 2 hours and 14 minutes relegates, at first sight, her main pursuers to more than 3 minutes. However, this record dates back to October 2019, when she last ran the London 2020 Marathon, victoria and time of 2.18:58. A good dozen athletes already have times like that, so they are capable of joining the battle for a podium spot. In addition, Brigid has always achieved excellent times in the marathon with climates . So the question remains, what will happen on Saturday with the hot and humid conditions on the marathon course in Sapporo, and is it possible for any Kenyan or Ethiopian to compete for the victoria? So, the athlete from Israel, Lonah Chemtai Salpeter may be one of the "dark horses" in the women's competition and pull off the "big Olympic upset".

On paper, the Ethiopian athletes Worknesh Degefa, Roza Dereje and Azmera Abreha are the ones who have to make things difficult for the Kenyan athletes. In the list of medal candidates, the athletes of the United States team: Sara Hall, Keira D'Amato and Emily Sisson, whose high competitive level will make them be in the top positions. Of course, the members of the Japanese team are spurred on by the fact that they are racing at home and by the long tradition that Japanese athletes have with the long distance. Thus, Mao Ichiyama, Mizuki Matsuda and Yuka Ando will seek to be protagonists in the race.

On the other hand, the Spanish female "armada" will be formed by Marta Galimany, Elena Loyo and Laura Méndez. A priori none of them is in the pools, because they are far from the records of the Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes, but, in adverse conditions of heat and humidity, anything can happen.

Tokyo 2020 men's Olympic marathon favorites

Turn for the boys, so we talk about the favorites for the Tokyo 2020 men's Olympic marathon competition. Will we see the coronation, without a battle, of king Eliud Kipchoge? With the announced withdrawal of his great rival, Kenenisa Bekele, who with his 2.01:41 mark in the 2019 Berlin Marathon, pointed as the only athlete who could overshadow Kipchoge. Does this mean that Kipchoge will win an Olympic title barely without a flutter in the Japanese capital's Sapporo Park? Not by a long shot! Mostly because the quiet, humble, hard-working and brilliant man, if he is able to dominate the race, it will be the result of hard work and sacrifice.

Although all athletes are aware of what to expect in the marathon with hot and humid conditions in the 42k Olympic event, in normal conditions, and more Autumn weather in Germany, UK or northern USA, Eliud Kipchoge would be the clear favorite, but this Sunday, August 8, the marathon world record holder and company will have to deal with extreme weather conditions, and these will surely be decisive in the final outcome of the race, and of course will influence the distribution of Olympic medals as has already been seen in the men's triathlon and women's triathlon competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

All of this points to the pace being slower than expected, but Kipchoge cannot relax, despite Bekele's absence. As many as 14 male athletes have a sub 2 hour 5 minute time. Kipchoge's compatriots Evans Chebet and Tito Ekiru, as well as the three Ethiopian team members Birhanu Leges, Mosinet Geremew and Mula Wasihun are clearly in contention to spoil Eliud Kipchoge's "gold party foretold" at Tokyo 2020. Other possible candidates to keep an eye on are Turkey's Kaan Kigen Özbilen and Japan's Kengo Suzuki, who could also be in contention and will be looking to spring a surprise.

Ayad Lamdassem, Hamid Ben Daoud and Javi Guerra will be the representatives of the "Spanish armada" in the men's competition, and are called to perform well and finish these 42 kilometers in Tokyo 2020 with the best sensations. It will be an epic feat! So from 00:00 hours (in Spain) on Sunday, August 8, 2020, all the attention will be on the marathon runners. Don't be late, the thing promises, but is that just over 2 hours and a half, the queen event of the Olympic Games, will be over.

List of participants in the Women's Olympic Marathon Tokyo 2020

To say that the places to get an Olympic bib have been expensive is an understatement. 92 women will take the start on Saturday, August 7 to run three laps of the Sapporo course to complete the 42-kilometer, 195-meter marathon. Here is the list of participants with the time and place they validated their ticket to the Olympics.

1KENBrigid KOSGEI2:14:04 / Chicago, IL (USA) 13/10/2019
2KENRuth CHEPNGETICH2:17:08 / Dubai, UAE 25/01/2019
3KENPeres JEPCHIRCHIR2:17:16 / Valencia (ESP) 6/12/2020
4ETHWorknesh DEGEFA2:17:41 / Dubai (UAE) 25/01/2019
5ISRLonah Chemtai SALPETER2:17:45 / Tokyo (JPN) 1/03/2020
6ETHRoza DEREJE2:18:30 / Valencia (ESP) 01/12/2019
7ETHAzmera ABREHA2:18:33 / Valencia (ESP) 1/12/2019
8NAMHelalia JOHANNES2:19:52 / Valencia (ESP) 6/12/2020
9JPNMao ICHIYAMA2:20:29 / Nagoya (JPN) 8/03/2020
10USASara HALL2:20:32 / Chandler, AZ (USA) 20/12/2020
11JPNMizuki MATSUDA2:21:47 / Osaka (JPN) 26/01/2020
12JPNYuka ANDO2:22:41 / Nagoya (JPN) 8/03/2020
13USAKeira D'AMATO2:22:56 / Chandler, AZ (USA) 20/12/2020
14USA.Emily SISSON2:23:08 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
15BRNEunice Chebichii CHUMBA2:23:10 / Milan (ITA) 16/05/2021
16UGAJulieta CHEKWEL2:23:13 / Seville (ESP) 02/23/2020
17GERMelat Yisak KEJETA2:23:57 / Berlin (GER) 29/09/2019
18AUSSinead DIVER2:24:11 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
19PORSalome ROCHA2:24:47 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
20CANMalindi ELMORE2:24:50 / Houston, TX (USA) 19/01/2020
21RSAGerda STEYN2:25:28 / Siena (ITA) 11/04/2021
22GBRJess PIASECKI2:25:29 / Florence (ITA) 24/11/2019
23GBRCharlotte PURDUE2:25:38 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
24GERKatharina STEINRUCK2:25:59 / Enschede (NED) 18/04/2021
25AUSLisa WEIGHTMAN2:26:02 / Osaka (JPN) 26/01/2020
26POLAleksandra LISOWSKA2:26:08 / Debno (POL) 18/04/2021
27BLRVolha MAZURONAK2:26:13 / Hong Kong (HKG) 17/02/2019
28SUIFabienne SCHLUMPF2:26:14 / Belp (SUI) 3
29CHNZhixuan LI2:26:15 / Nagoya (JPN) 10/03/2019
30CANNatasha WODAK2:26:19 / Chandler, AZ (USA) 20/12/2020
31AUSEllie PASHLEY2:26:21 / Nagoya (JPN) 10/03/2019
32MEXAndrea Soraya RAMÍREZ LIMON2:26:34 / Chandler, AZ (USA) 20/12/2020
33PORSara Catarina RIBEIRO2:26:39 / Valencia (ESP) 1/12/2019
34GBRStephanie TWELL2:26:40 / Frankfurt (GER) 27/10/2019
35SWECarolina WIKSTRÖM2:26:42 / Valencia (ESP) 6/12/2020
36PORSara MOREIRA2:26:42 / Enschede (NED) 18/04/2021
37IRLFionnuala MCCORMACK2:26:47 / Chicago, IL (USA) 13/10/2019
38GERDeborah SCHÖNEBORN2:26:55 / Valencia (ESP) 6/12/2020
39CANRachel CLIFF2:26:56 / Nagoya (JPN) 10/03/2019
40CHNDan LI2:26:59 / Nanjing (CHN) 29/11/2020
40UKRViktoriia KALIUZHNA2:27:05 / Debno (POL) 18/04/2021
42PORGladys TEJEDA2:27:07 / Sevilla (ESP) 23/02/2020
43CZEEva VRABCOVÁ NYVLTOVÁ2:27:07 / Praha (CZE) 30/05/2021
44CHNMingming JIN2:27:08 / Nanjing (CHN) 29/11/2020
45ESPMarta GALIMANIA2:27:08 / Valencia (ESP) 6/12/2020
46MDALilia FISIKOVICI2:27:26 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
47KORSeulki AN2:27:28 / Seoul (KOR) 17/03/2019
48UKRDarya MYKHAYLOVA2:27:29 / London (GBR) 4/10/2020
49CROBojana BJELJAC2:27:42 / Valencia (ESP) 1/12/2019
50POLKarolina NADOLSKA2:27:43 / Hannover (GER) 7
51POLAngelika MACH2:27:48 / Debno (POL) 18/04/2021
52TANFailuna MATANGA2:27:55 / Hamburg (GER) 28/04/2019
53UKROlga SKRYPAK2:27:58 / Ljubljana (SLO) 27/10/2019
54PORJovana DE LA CRUZ CAPANI2:27:59 / Lima (PER) 23/05/2021
55MGLMunkhzaya BAYARTSOGT2:28:03 / Osaka (JPN) 26/01/2020
56ITAGiovanna EPIS2:28:03 / Reggio Emilia (ITA) 13/12/2020
57LESNeheng KHATALA2:28:06 / Cape Town (RSA) 30/05/2021
58SEASouad KABOUCHIA2:28:07 / Marrakech (MAR) 26/01/2020
59ERINazret WELDU2:28:07 / Milan (ITA) 16/05/2021
60CZEMarcela JOGLOVÁ2:28:16 / Enschede (NED) 18/04/2021
61ECURosa CHACHA2:28:17 / Siena (ITA) 11/04/2021
62NEDJill HOLTERMAN2:28:18 / Enschede (NED) 18/04/2021
63KGZDarya MASLOVA2:28:19 / Valencia (ESP) 1/12/2019
64ECUAndrea Paola BONILLA2:28:24 / Valencia (ESP) 6/12/2020
65ESPElena LOYO2:28:25 / Valencia (ESP) 6/12/2020
66NEDAndrea DEELTSTRA2:28:28 / Valencia (ESP) 6/12/2020
67BELMieke GORISSEN2:28:31 / Enschede (NED) 18/04/2021
68IRLAoife COOKE2:28:36 / Wrexham (GBR) 25/04/2021
69ERIKokob Tesfagaber SOLOMON2:28:37 / Milano (ITA) 16/05/2021
70RSAIrvette VAN ZYL2:28:40 / Siena (ITA) 11/04/2021
71KGZIuliia ANDREEVA2:28:42 / Nur-Sultan (KAZ) 8/09/2019
72BLRNina SAVINA2:28:44 / Saitama (JPN) 8/12/2019
73FRASusan JEPTOOO2:28:48 / Marrakech (MAR) 26/01/2020
74CROMatea PARLOV KOŠTRO2:28:52 / Valencia (ESP) 6/12/2020
75MEXDaniela TORRES2:28:55 / Siena (ITA) 11/04/2021
76ARGMarcela Cristina GOMEZ2:28:58 / Seville (ESP) 02/23/2020
77MARRkia EL MOUKIM2:29:00 / Marrakech (MAR) 26/01/2020
78KAZZhanna MAMAZHANOVA2:29:01 / Fürstenfeld (AUT) 23/05/2021
79ISRMaor TIYOURI2:29:04 / Wrexham (GBR) 25/04/2021
80KORKyungsun CHOI2:29:06 / Daegu (KOR) 7
81CZETereza HROCHOVÁ2:29:06 / Fürstenfeld (AUT) 23/05/2021
82TURMeryem ERDOGAN2:29:08 / Milan (ITA) 16/05/2021
83UGAImmaculada CHEMUTAI2:29:09 / Siena (ITA) 11/04/2021
84MEXUrsula Patricia SANCHEZ2:29:11 / Chandler, AZ (USA) 20/12/2020
85COLAngie ORJUELA2:29:12 / Valencia (ESP) 6/12/2020
86BELHanne VERBRUGGEN2:29:14 / Valencia (ESP) 6/12/2020
87MARMajida MAAYOUF2:29:24 / Tienat (ITA) 11/04/2021
88ESPLaura MÉNDEZ2:29:28 / Enschede (NED) 18/04/2021
89NEDRuth VAN DER MEIJDEN2:29:30 / Enschede (NED) 18/04/2021
90SUIMartina STRÄHLRanked by race position9 Berlin 2019)
91BELNina LAUWAERTRanked by race place (10th Berlin 2019).
92SOLSharon FIRISUAUniversity Place

List of participants in the Tokyo 2020 Men's Olympic Marathon.

An Olympic ticket for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic marathon comes at a price: being able to run under 2 hours 11 minutes and 30 seconds. Added to that is the requirement of only 3 runners per country. In addition, 20 Kenyans and 20 Ethiopians will be watching the marathon games on TV, all have made the minimums, but ahead of them will run very very fast. This is the list of the participants in the men's Olympic marathon in Tokyo 2020 with the time that gave them the ticket to reach the Olympic Games in the Japanese capital.

1KENEliud KIPCHOGE2:02:37 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
2ETHBirhanu LEGESE2:02:48 / Berlin (GER) 29/09/2019
3ETHMosinet GEREMEW2:02:55 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
4KENTito EKIRU2:02:57 / Milan (ITA) 16/05/2021
5KENEvans CHEBET2:03:00 / Valencia (ESP) 06/12/2020
6ETHMula WASIHUN2:03:16 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
7TURKaan Kigen ÖZBILEN2:04:16 / Valencia (ESP) 01/12/2019
8BELBashir ABDI2:04:49 / Tokyo (JPN) 01/03/2020
9TANGabriel Gerald GEAY2:04:55 / Milan (ITA) 16/05/2021
10JPNKengo SUZUKI2:04:56 / Otsu (JPN) 28/02/2021
11UGAArchivox CHEMONGES2:05:12 / Toronto (CAN) 20/10/2019
12JPNSuguru OSAKO2:05:29 / Tokyo (JPN) 01/03/2020
13GBRMo FARAH2:05:39 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
14ERIOqbe Kibrom RUESOM2:05:53 / Valencia (ESP) 06/12/2020
15BRNAlemu BEKELE2:06:02 / Seoul (KOR) 03/11/2019
16NORSondre Nordstad MOEN2:06:16 / Valencia (ESP) 01/12/2019
17NEDAbdi NAGEEYE2:06:17 / Rotterdam (NED) 07/04/2019
18SEAOthmane EL GOUMRI2:06:18 / Siena (ITA) 11/04/2021
19BRNEl Hassan EL ABBASSI2:06:22 / Tokyo (JPN) 01/03/2020
20JPNHidekazu HIJIKATA2:06:26 / Otsu (JPN) 28/02/2021
21ERIYohanes GHEBREGERGIS2:06:28 / Siena (ITA) 11/04/2021
22SEAHicham LAQOUAHI2:06:32 / Marrakech (MAR) 26/01/2020
23ESPAyad LAMDASSEM2:06:35 / Valencia (ESP) 06/12/2020
24ERIOkubay TSEGAY2:06:46 / Sevilla (ESP) 17/02/2019
25UGAFred MUSOBO2:06:56 / Daegu (KOR) 07/04/2019
26BRNShumi DECHASA2:06:59 / Geneva (SUI) 02/05/2021
27ESPHamid BEN DAOUD2:07:03 / Valencia (ESP) 06/12/2020
28GERAmanal PETROS2:07:18 / Valencia (ESP) 06/12/2020
29ITAEyob GHEBREHIWET FANIEL2:07:19 / Sevilla (ESP) 23/02/2020
30ISRMaru TEFERI2:07:20 / Seville (ESP) 02/23/2020
31SUITadesse ABRAHAM2:07:24 / Wien (AUT) 07/04/2019
32ESPJavier GUERRA2:07:27 / Sevilla (ESP) 23/02/2020
33ISRGirmaw AMARE2:07:28 / Seville (ESP) 02/23/2020
34BELKoen NAERT2:07:39 / Rotterdam (NED) 07/04/2019
35ISRHaimro ALMAYA2:07:45 / Seville (ESP) 02/23/2020
36SEASalah-Eddine BOUNASR2:07:52 / Otsu (JPN) 10/03/2019
37USALeonard KORIR2:07:56 / Amsterdam (NED) 20/10/2019
38RSAStephen MOKOKA2:07:58 / Otsu (JPN) 10/03/2019
39ITAYassine RACHIK2:08:05 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
40TURPolat Kemboi ARIKAN2:08:14 / Paris (FRA) 14/04/2019
41GBRCallum HAWKINS2:08:14 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
42NZLZane ROBERTSON2:08:19 / Gold Coast (AUS) 07/07/2019
43TANAlphonce Felix SIMBU2:08:27 / Otsu (JPN) 10/03/2019
44CHNGuojian DONG2:08:28 / Berlin (GER) 29/09/2019
45KORJoohan OH2:08:42 / Gyeongju (KOR) 20/10/2019
46GERRichard RINGER2:08:49 / Siena (ITA) 11/04/2021
47USAMartin HEHIR2:08:59 / Chandler, AZ (USA) 20/12/2020
48MGLByambajav TSEVEENRAVDAN2:09:03 / Oita, Oita (JPN) 02/02/2020
49BRADaniel DO NASCIMENTO2:09:05 / Lima (PER) 23/05/2021
50USANoah DRODDY2:09:09 / Chandler, AZ (USA) 20/12/2020
51RSAPheeha MOKGOBO2:09:13 / Valencia (ESP) 06/12/2020
52FRAMorhad AMDOUNI2:09:14 / Paris (FRA) 14/04/2019
53FRAHassan CHAHDI2:09:15 / Valencia (ESP) 06/12/2020
54MGLSer-Od BAT-OCHIR2:09:26 / Otsu (JPN) 28/02/2021
55PORChristian PACHECO2:09:31 / Lima (PER) 27/07/2019
56MEXJuan PACHECO2:09:45 / Valencia (ESP) 06/12/2020
57IRLStephen SCULLION2:09:49 / London (GBR) 04/10/2020
58PANJorge CASTELBLANCO2:09:49 / Valencia (ESP) 06/12/2020
59CANTrevor HOFBAUER2:09:51 / Toronto (CAN) 20/10/2019
60NEDKhalid CHOUKOUD2:09:55 / Siena (ITA) 11/04/2021
61CHNJianhua PENG2:09:57 / Guangzhou (CHN) 08/12/2019
62ARGEulalio MUNOZ2:09:59 / Valencia (ESP) 06/12/2020
63ESTTiidrek NURME2:10:02 / Sevilla (ESP) 23/02/2020
64NZLMalcolm HICKS2:10:04 / Seville (ESP) 02/23/2020
65GBRJonathan MELLOR2:10:05 / Sevilla (ESP) 23/02/2020
66AUTPeter HERZOG2:10:06 / London (GBR) 04/10/2020
67BRAPaulo Roberto PAULA2:10:08 / Seville (ESP) 02/23/2020
68IRLKevin SEAWARD2:10:09 / Sevilla (ESP) 23/02/2020
69ITAYassine EL FATHAOUI2:10:10 / Seville (ESP) 02/23/2020
70PARDerlys AYALA2:10:11 / Valencia (ESP) 06/12/2020
71CANCameron LEVINS2:10:14 / Fürstenfeld (AUT) 23/05/2021
72NEDBart VAN NUNEN2:10:16 / Valencia (ESP) 06/12/2020
73CANBen PREISNER2:10:17 / Chandler, AZ (USA) 20/12/2020
74POLMarcin CHABOWSKI2:10:17 / Enschede (NED) 18/04/2021
75GERHendrik PFEIFFER2:10:18 / Seville (ESP) 23/02/2020
76POLAdam NOWICKI2:10:21 / Enschede (NED) 18/04/2021
77BELDieter KERSTEN2:10:22 / Enschede (NED) 18/04/2021
78NAMTomas Hilifa RAINHOLD2:10:24 / Siena (ITA) 11/04/2021
79IRLPaul POLLOCK2:10:25 / Valencia (ESP) 01/12/2019
80RSAElroy GELANT2:10:31 / Cape Town (RSA) 15/09/2019
81POLArkadiusz GARDZIELEWSKI2:10:31 / Debno (POL) 18/04/2021
82BDIOlivier IRABARUTA2:10:33 / Wuxi (CHN) 24/03/2019
83TURYavuz AGRALI2:10:41 / Seville (ESP) 02/23/2020
84AUTLemawork KETEMA2:10:44 / Wien (AUT) 07/04/2019
85ESTRoman FOSTI2:10:46 / Siena (ITA) 11/04/2021
86AUSLiam ADAMS2:10:48 / Otsu (JPN) 08/03/2020
87COLJeison Alexander SUAREZ2:10:51 / Enschede (NED) 18/04/2021
88UKRBohdan-Ivan HORODYSKYYY2:10:52 / Belaya Tserkva (UKR) 06/10/2019
89MEXJosé Luis SANTANA MARÍN2:10:54 / Lima (PER) 27/07/2019
90AUSBrett ROBINSON2:10:55 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
91ARTTachlowini GABRIYESOS2:10:55 / Hula Lake Park (ISR) 14/03/2021
92DENThijs NIJHUIS2:10:57 / Sevilla (ESP) 23/02/2020
93RWAFelicien MUHITIRA2:10:58 / Roma (ITA) 07/04/2019
94ARGJoaquin ARBE2:11:02 / Buenos Aires (ARG) 22/09/2019
95DENAdbi Hakin ULAD2:11:03 / Fukuoka (JPN) 01/12/2019
96LESKhoarahlane SEUTLOALI2:11:04 / Cape Town (RSA) 15/09/2019
97MEXJesus Arturo ESPARZA2:11:04 / Valencia (ESP) 01/12/2019
98AUSJack RAYNER2:11:06 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
99COLIvan Dario GONZALEZ2:11:07 / Valencia (ESP) 06/12/2020
100BRADaniel Chaves DA SILVA2:11:10 / London (GBR) 28/04/2019
101UKRMykola NYZHNYK2:11:12 / Belaya Tserkva (UKR) 06/10/2019
102RWAJohn HAKIZIMANA2:11:19 / Five Rings, Wuhan (CHN) 27/10/2019
103CHNShaohui YANG2:11:19 / Xuzhou (CHN) 11/04/2021
104KORJungsub SHIM2:11:24 / Yecheon (KOR) 04/04/2021
105UKROleksandr SITKOVSKIY2:11:25 / Beijing (CHN) 03/11/2019
106HONIvan ZARCOUniversity Square

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