In advance of the invited athletes press conference, Race Director Tadaaki Hayano expressed his condolences for the men’s marathon world record holder Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum and his coach Gervais Hakizimana who passed away in a car accident on February 11.
Sifan Hassan (Netherlands), Amane Beriso Shankule (Ethiopia), Rosemary Wanjiru (Kenya) and Hitomi Niiya (Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.) took the stage for the women’s press conference.
Hassan has a personal best which is also the second fastest world record at 2:13:44. She smiled as she commented, “I have prepared well. I will go for the course record.” She has set her target time for at 2:16:02 which was set in 2022 at Tokyo Marathon 2021 by Brigid Kosgei (Kenya). While this is her first Tokyo Marathon, Tokyo is full of memories. She won a gold in the women’s 10000 meter and 5000 meter events, and a bronze in the1500 meter at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games. She added that “I won a medal in 3 different events. This was part of my motivation to run in Tokyo.”
Shankule, who was the gold medalist at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, shared her enthusiasm. “I have been practicing and I look forward to showing the results.” The competition is fierce with Hassan and Wanjiru who won the last race. She expressed her confidence, “Top athletes will be running. I should be able to get good results if the conditions (such as weather) are good and the pace is right.”
Wanjiru, the winner of last year’s Tokyo Marathon used to live in Japan, and she commented in Japanese “Hello everyone. Sunday’s race will be a great race. I will do my best.” In reference to her time last year of 2:16:28 which is also her personal best, she commented “I hope to improve it by about 1 minute for a time of around 2:15.”
Niiya is targeting the Japanese record of 2:18:59 and commented with emphasis. “My condition is okay. I just want to finish so that I can fulfill my personal goal.” She is also the winner of the very first Tokyo Marathon. She will be using the momentum from the cheering spectators. “Many people come to cheer us on in Tokyo. The wonderful thing about Tokyo is that the runners and spectators are that much closer.”
In the following men’s press conference, Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya), Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich (Kenya), Timothy Kiplagat (Kenya) and 3 runners from Japan Kengo Suzuki (Fujitsu), Ichitaka Yamashita (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.) and Kenya Sonota (East Japan Railway Company) took the stage.
The former world record holder Kipchoge commented with great confidence. “My condition is good. The training has been smooth. Everything is going well. I am sure it will be a very good race.” Regarding his attempt at a third consecutive Olympic gold in Paris, he commented with a smile. “The Tokyo Marathon is just the right timing to prepare for Paris in August.” At the Tokyo Marathon 2 years ago, he finished with a course record of 2:02:40 and he shared his anticipation for being able to run again in Tokyo. “Japanese people like to run. It’s in their DNA to run marathons, on the track and run in general. I feel their spirit toward running.”
Ngetich who placed second behind Kipchoge in his first marathon at the Berlin Marathon 2023, shared his fighting spirit. “I want to run in a good condition on Sunday. I will do my best.” He shared “I chose Tokyo because I wanted to see if I can run at my personal best time” which is 2:03:13.
Kiplagat who has a personal best of 2:03:50 highlighted his good condition. “I am fully prepared. Everything is going smoothly. I’m looking forward to it, and I think I will be able to run well.” He revealed that he enjoys Japanese food and made everyone relax by commented “the fish is delicious”.
For the Japanese men, the Tokyo Marathon is the last remaining 'final challenge' race for Japan's third and last spot in the men's marathon representative at this year’s Olympic games as part of the Marathon Grand Championship. The last spot will to the fastest runner who runs under the designated time of 2:05:50.
Suzuki is the current Japanese record holder with a time of 2:04:56 and shared his ambition for Paris. “Ever since Tokyo, I have continued with a strong will to be a part of the next Olympics. This is the final challenge, and I want to run with all my desires.” When asked about the designated time, he shared his conviction “I had a time around 2:05:30 (actual 2:05:28) in 2022 (at the Tokyo Marathon 2021), so it’s a record that is possible.”
Yamashita, who finished with the third fastest Japanese record of 2:05:51 last year commented “while it’s not easy to set a new personal best, I can break the designated time if I do. It’s very simple and easy to set as a goal.” He promised to run with a calm mindset. “I will maintain my rhythm until the end. I want to finish at my own pace.”
Sonota has a personal best of 2:05:59 and emphasized that everything is smooth so far. “My physical condition is good.” he commented. In 2021, he lost to Suzuki and last year he allowed Yamashita to pass him, placing second both times. He vowed to get revenge. “I have to place first in order to make it to Paris. I will run with my running order in mind.”
The marathon is scheduled to start at 9:10 a.m. (JST). The forecast calls for sunny weather with temperatures around 5 to 6℃ at the start.
