Tokyo Marathon Announces Elite Fields
The lineup is the strongest since the race's founding in 2007.
The lineup is the strongest since the race’s founding in 2007.
From: NYRR Media
When Tokyo joined the World Marathon Majors family last fall, becoming its sixth member, the move was seen as a major step forward for both the race and the series.
Last week, vision became reality when the Tokyo Marathon announced the strongest professional field since the race’s inaugural running in 2007. The fields will be led by nine men with personal bests under 2:07 and nine women who have run under 2:25, and both course records (2:07:23 and 2:25:28) will be under serious threat.
Tokyo will kick off the 2013–2014 World Marathon Majors Series on February 24, followed by the Boston Marathon on April 15, the Virgin London Marathon on April 21, the BMW Berlin Marathon on September 29, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 13, and the ING New York City Marathon on November 3.
RELATED: Exciting Field Set For London Marathon
Headlined by Dennis Kimetto of Kenya, who brings a personal best of 2:04:16, the men’s field features four men who have run sub-2:05 marathons. Kimetto holds the world record for 25K and owns the fastest debut marathon in history on a standard course with his 2:04:16, which earned him a runner-up finish to training partner Geoffrey Mutai in the BMW Berlin Marathon last fall.
For the women, veteran Irina Mikitenko of Germany, a two-time World Marathon Majors points champion, owns a personal best of 2:19:19 from 2008 but can expect strong challenges from a pair of Ethiopians who ran identical PBs of 2:20:30 last year: Buzunesh Bekele and BMW Berlin Marathon champion Aberu Kebede. For the full fields, click here.