Tokyo Marathon 2018 Wheelchair Elite Field has been announced. Please go to the link below for all the details.
Tokyo Marathon 2018 - Preview of Elite Wheelchair Race
Because of the characteristics of the new course adapted for the 2017 edition of the race, I was imagining a faster winning time. However, perhaps because the course was new, the athletes were reluctant to push the pace and thus the winning time for the men's race was relatively sluggish 1:28:01 while the winning time for the women's race was also slow 1:43:27.
Due to the lack of excessive undulation in the new Tokyo Marathon course, it may have been hard for the athletes to find the spot to make their move during the race. The final stretch of the race on Marunouchi Naka-dori Street gave trouble to athletes because the street is long and uphill and is covered with cobblestones, which makes hard to push the rims. Thus the race was decided over the final turn on to the Gyoko-dori Avenue.
In 2017 the men's race came down to six men going for the win, while the women's race came down to three women competing for the top spot on the podium.
This is the second year with the new course, and invited athletes were selected in hope that someone will make a big move during the race to make the race more exciting.
Top elite athletes around the world are invited to this year's Tokyo Marathon. The men's field from abroad is headed by Marcel Hug (SUI), overwhelming favorite. He will be joined by Kurt Fearnley (AUS), Ernest Van Dyk (RSA), Joshua George (USA) and Rafael Jimenez (ESP). The women's field includes Amanda McGrory (USA), the defending champion, Manuela Schaer (SUI), Tatyana McFadden (USA) and Susannah Scaroni (USA). Japanese athletes on the men's side include Sho Watanabe, the defending champion, Tomoki Suzuki, Ryota Yoshida, Hiroyuki Yamamoto and Hiroki Nishida. On the women's side Kazumi Nakayama and Tsubasa Kino will challenge the world's best.
It is hoped that athletes, who competed last year as well as those who is making the Tokyo Marathon debut, will employ new race plan to go after the world record. Who will be the first to come into Marunouchi district? Who will cross the finish line first? The race will be very exciting from the start to the finish, so please come out and show your support for the athletes.
Tokyo Marathon Wheelchair Race Director
Masuzumi Soejima
Elite Wheelchair Race page is here.
