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Tokyo Marathon Results 2019: Men's and Women's Top Finishers
March 3, 2019
Ethiopians Birhanu Legese and Ruti Aga respectively won the men's and women's races at the 2019 Tokyo Marathon in poor conditions on Sunday.
Per the event's official website, the former crossed the finish line ahead of the field after two hours, four minutes and 48 seconds, exactly two minutes in front of his nearest competitor, Bedan Karoki of Kenya.
Two-time Tokyo winner Dickson Chumba, also of Kenya, rounded out the top three with a time of 2:08:44.
The trio were neck and neck over the first 25 kilometres before Legese, 24, pulled away to claim victory:
In the women's race, Aga finished with a winning time of 2:20:40, ahead of compatriot Helen Tola by 21 seconds.
Shure Demise ensured there would be an all-Ethiopian podium when she crossed the line four seconds after Tola, with a time of 2:21:05.
The runners had to deal with cold and wet conditions throughout the race, as the event's official Twitter feed showed:
As for the wheelchair races, they were won by Swiss competitors Marcel Hug and Manuela Schar.
Here are the full results for those events:
Tatyana McFadden, runner-up in the women's event, noted the difficulty brought on by the weather conditions in the Japanese capital:
Tatyana McFadden @TatyanaMcFaddenso proud of myself for comming in #2 in #tokyo #marathon . This race was so tough because itβs the first race of the season with tough competition, and it was raining heavily and the temperatures dropped significantly.I am excited for what the season has in store. https://t.co/sP2kUax3kq
Schar felt the same way.Β "I reached 10 kilometres at my regular pace, but it was difficult after that," she said, per the event's Twitter account. "With the rain [and] cold, halfway through I wasn't sure I would make it. I'm very happy that I was able to finish."
The victory marked her second consecutive title in Tokyo.