Tokyo 2024 Marathon Qualifiers: Benson Kipruto and Asefa Kebede, winners of the first Major of the year, including records, in Eliud Kipchoge's fourth marathon defeat

One of the most awaited moments for the world's running fans is already history. A story with the names of Benson Kipruto and Asefa Kebede, the reigning champions of the Tokyo Marathon 2024, the first stop of the year of the World Marathon Majors, which kicked off on March 3 A race that was the start of the world's greatest running spectacle, which will be followed by Boston and London in April, Berlin in September, Chicago in October and New York in November, and which left major surprises, such as the fourth defeat in history of the great Eliud Kipchoge in the marathon distance.

An event, this Tokyo Marathon 2024 which, as you already know, consisted of the emblematic distance of 42,195 meters that took place along a completely flat course, unchanged since 2017, through the streets of the Japanese capital and which brought together the most important elite athletes on the planet and a large number of popular runners. Among them, the most outstanding were Benson Kipruto and Asefa Kebede, who with times of 2:02:16 and 2:15:55, were victorious, including records of the race in the men's and women's categories, respectively.

As we have already mentioned, the great winner of the day in the men's category was Benson Kipruto. The Kenyan, with a time of 02:02:16 and setting himself up as the new record holder of the race, surprised the world by beating the main favorite of the day, Eliud Kipchoge, who in this edition of Tokyo added his fourth 'defeat' in a marathon (after Boston in 2023) and who could only finish in tenth position.

On the other hand, the men's podium was completed with the presence of Timothy Kiplagat in second position with an extraordinary time of 02:02:55 and a third place of Vincent Ngetich, who took the third step thanks to a time of 02:04:18 and completing an all-Kenyan podium after a race that had a very compact ten-man pack at the start that passed the 10k with a time of 00:28:30.

For its part, the women's category ended with the victoria of the also mentioned Asefa Kebede. The Ethiopian, who, like Kipruto, beat her main opponent and/or contender for the first position of the day, Sifan Hassan, also set a new record time of the race with her 02:15:55. Besides her, the other two winners of the day were the reigning champion of the Tokyo 2023 Marathon, Rosemary Wanjiru, who crossed the finish line in 02:16:14 and Ethiopia's Amane Beriso, who achieved a creditable third position thanks to her time of 2:16:58, just ahead of Sifan Hassan, the athlete who had all eyes on her and who took the 'chocolate medal' entering fourth in 02:18:05.

Ranking

Rankings and results of the Tokyo 2024 Marathon, with the finishing times of the top male and female runners.

Men's standings

1. Benson Kipruto (KEN) - 2:02:16
2. Timothy Kiplagat (KEN) - 2:02:55
3. Vincent Kipkemoi (KEN) - 2:04:18

Women's classification

1. Sutume Asefa Kebede (ETH) - 2:15:55
2. Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN) - 2:16:15
3. Amane Beriso (ETH) - 2:16:58

Live

The Tokyo 2024 Marathon could be followed live on a host of official streaming and TV services including:

• ESPN3 and ESPNPlay
• Eurosport
• Canal+
• Great Sport Media
• Teledeporte
• RTVE Play

The start time of the elite athletes, which in local time was at 9:10 a.m. on Sunday, March 3, could be seen from 1:10 a.m. on the night of Saturday, March 2 to Sunday, March 3 in Spanish territory.