Eliud Kipchoge announces return to Tokyo Marathon 

NN Running Team-athlete and back-to-back Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge will  return to Japan for the 17th edition of the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday 3rd March 2024,  a course where he holds the record from his only previous appearance in 2022.  

The only sub-two-hour marathoner in history is excited to return to a country where he  became the third man to defend his Olympic marathon title, saying: 

“I have good memories in Japan. I won my Olympic gold medal there and ran the course  record in the Tokyo marathon. Last time, I was grateful for the organization to organize the  event during such a difficult time during the Covid-19 pandemic. My aim was to set the  course record and it was great to achieve that. I feel good working towards my next race in  Tokyo. For me, it is the perfect preparation towards my aim to win my third consecutive  Olympic title next summer in Paris.”  

Kipchoge took over a minute off the 2017 course record in his last visit to the race, running  2:02:40 to finish over 30 seconds clear of his nearest competitor and his win in the 2021  Olympic marathon in Sapporo was equally as dominant. No athlete in history has won back to-back-to-back Olympic marathon titles, with the Paris men’s marathon race taking place on  10 August 2024.  

The 2003 World 5000m champion will head to the Japanese capital fresh off a record fifth  win at this year’s Berlin Marathon. His time of 2:02:42 there means six of the ten fastest  official marathons ever have been run by the Kenyan. 

This will be Kipchoge’s 22nd marathon, with 18 wins so far including 11 Major Marathons.  He has twice broken the world record, both times at Berlin, and in 2019 became the first  runner in history to break the two-hour barrier as part of the INEOS 1:59 project in Vienna,  running 1:59:40.  

Double Olympic champion Sifan Hassan will continue her 42.2km adventure at the  17th edition of the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday 3rd March 2024, aiming to continue a  record-breaking start to life over the distance.  

The Dutch athlete had a spectacular introduction to the marathon, beating what is widely  regarded as the best female field ever assembled on debut in London in April, before setting  the second fastest time in history to take the Chicago title in 2:13:44 in October. That  performance will leave the two-time World Champion on the track well placed for an assault  on the 2:16:02 course record in Tokyo, held by Brigid Kosgei from 2022.  

Hassan is eager to return to the city where she won 5,000m and 10,000m Olympic gold in  2021, saying: 

“I am so excited to announce my participation in my next marathon. I feel Tokyo is the  perfect preparation towards the Paris Olympic Games, because I have great Olympic  memories in the city of Tokyo and I feel I can fuel my Olympic fire there. In the streets of  Tokyo, I will be looking to continue my marathon journey. I want to learn from every  marathon, since every marathon is different and I can’t wait to come to Tokyo.” 

The World Marathon major course sees athletes start by the Tokyo Metropolitan  Government Building in the west of the Japanese capital, taking in the city’s rich sights,  before finishing by the iconic Imperial Palace in the centre of the metropolis.  

Hassan has displayed incredible range this year, winning World 1500m bronze in Budapest  alongside 5000m silver, all whilst teaching her body to train over the longer distance. The  European marathon record holder will have an enviable choice to make over what events to  choose in Paris, with the Olympic women’s marathon to take place on 11th August after a  testing track schedule.  

Photos : NNRunningTeam and GlobaSportsCommunication