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Press Release - Tokyo Marathon - 1/28/20

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                    Tokyo Marathon 2020 Elite Field 
                    
Tokyo Marathon 2020 Race Preview
by Tad Hayano
Tokyo Marathon Race Director

Since the change of the finish location in 2017, new records are brought 
forth from the flat and fast paced course. I believe through this, we have 
gained greater recognition as an event reaching the "global standard". 

Two years ago, Yuta Shitara (Honda) made a new history, breaking the 
national record with 2:06:11 for the first time in 16 years. The Japan 
Industrial Track & Field Association awarded Shitara for this great 
achievement with 100 million yen through the strengthening program "PROJECT 
EXCEED", gathering grand focus. Last year, it was a tough condition for the 
athletes with drastic temperature drop from midway, but despite, Birhanu 
Legese (ETH) kept the speed finishing strong under 2:05 and showed us the 
global-standard race. 

This year, as being the 14th edition of the Tokyo Marathon, we can expect 
it to be more exciting. 

In the men's line up, our defending champion Legese will be joining. He 
missed the win at Berlin Marathon in September of last year, but he 
finished with incredible time of 2:02:48. He rewrote his personal best, and 
will be returning to Tokyo much stronger. Winner of the last year's Dubai 
Marathon Getaneh Molla (ETH), and the third finisher Sisay Lemma (ETH) both 
has the record under 2:04. Dickson Chumba (KEN) as the only athlete with 
multiple wins at Tokyo will also join, making it total five athletes 
holding record time under 2:05. 

I believe Legese will lead the race to bring record time under 2:03, 
marking the fastest record achieved within Japan. 

In addition, we can expect intense race among the Japanese athletes, 
fighting for the last ticket to enter the Tokyo 2020 Olympic marathon, for 
our race serves as the selection trial "Marathon Grand Championship (MGC) 
Final Challenge". We can greatly look forward to a battle between the 
current and past national record holders of the same age, Suguru Osako 
(Nike) and Shitara. And along, we can expect Hiroto Inoue (MHPS) with time 
record of 2:06:54 in Tokyo Marathon 2018 to keep up. 

To win the last ticket to the Tokyo 2020, one must clear the time of 
2:05:49 set by Japan Association of Athletics Federation. If no one clears 
the time, Osako who finished third in MGC race in last September will be 
appointed. Osako could have chosen not to enter the race and waited for the 
days to pass by. But instead, he chose to enter the battle. His willpower 
is something like no other, and perhaps, his pride as the national record 
holder is what fuels him. 

For Shitara, Tokyo is a familiar course, maybe with positive image still 
lingering from the national record he achieved. He seems carefree, but 
definitely has strong feeling towards Osako, who he has been competing 
against since college. We can expect him to go on the race in fast pace 
from early on, with the mindset in breaking the current national record. 

With Inoue, I still remember the great impression I received from him two 
years ago when he declared his goal time of 2:06:00. It proved that his 
mindset has always been set to compete in the world-class-level. It was 
unfortunate outcome for him at the MGC, but in the New Year Ekiden 2020, he 
set a new record for the fourth leg proving his comeback. 

The highlight of the event is observing how they have come to prepare for 
the race, and witnessing their fight. Depending on the weather, new 
national record can be expected greatly. 

At the moment, I am planning to implement two different paces. The first 
group featuring Legese and rest of African athletes, will be led in pace to 
finish under 2:03. The second group will be led targeting finish time 
between 2:04:40-2:05:30. With the ambition to win the last ticket to Tokyo 
2020, we can expect majority of Japanese athletes to keep up. The Pacer 
will only lead up to 30km, and therefore, athlete must save the strength 
for the last segment, and from there, I look forward to how the game will 
shift. 

Yuki Sato (Nissin Foods Holdings) and Kenta Murayama (Asahi Kasei) with 
great potential will also be joining to add more excitement. In 2016 at the 
10th edition of the event, we witnessed Murayama keeping up with the lead 
group until 22km, and not to mention, he was the only Japanese. Moreover, 
many athletes lined up at the MGC in last September will also be joining. 
We will not be able to take our eyes off to see who will finish first. 

In recent years, the Japanese marathon has revitalized. Since the 
unsatisfying results at the Rio 2016, different approach was implemented to 
strengthen the marathon athletes, and in result, it brought change. The 
100-million-yen bonus and the selection trial MGC correspondingly 
encouraging faster result times, where the national record was rewritten 
twice by Shitara and Osako, the ambition to break 2:05 or 2:06 has also 
risen among many athletes. Truly, I hope that Tokyo Marathon that meets 
global standard will also contribute to this enhancement. 

For the women's field, the excitement runs high for the foreign athletes. 
The defending champion Ruti Aga (ETH) will be racing joined by Birhane 
Debaba (ETH) with the record of 2:18:46 aiming for the win. Moreover, there 
are three other athletes who have personal record time within 2:19. The 
world class battle centering on the African athletes will take place. 

Your emotions will run high from watching world class performance of Legese 
and the others running to achieve 2:02. With Japanese athletes aiming for 
the last ticket to Tokyo 2020, we can expect them to go for fast split 
times and the crowds will go wild as the possibility of witnessing the new 
national record becomes higher. It may be a day with new history. With the 
course and the athletes that we are proud to present, please enjoy the 
"global standard" race, the Tokyo Marathon 2020.                                      

ELITE ATHLETES (MEN)

No. Name Nationality Club       Age cm  kg Qlfd Time&Year PersonalBestTime
1   LEGESE, Birhanu ETH          25 168 55 2:02:48 2019    2:02:48
2   MOLLA, Getaneh ETH           26 176 66 2:03:34 2019    2:03:34
3   LEMMA, Sisay ETH             29 175 67 2:03:36 2019    2:03:36
4   MENGSTU, Asefa ETH           32 172 55 2:04:06 2018    2:04:06
5   CHUMBA, Dickson KEN          33 167 50 2:05:30 2018    2:04:32
6   LEMI, Hayle ETH              25 179 59 2:05:09 2019    2:04:33
7   EL ABBASSI, El Hassan BRN    35 170 52 2:04:43 2018    2:04:43
8   EKIRU, Titus KEN             28 173 58 2:04:46 2019    2:04:46
9   KIPRUTO, Amos KEN            27 168 54 2:05:43 2017    2:05:43
10  KAROKI, Bedan KEN   DeNA     29 173 55 2:05:53 2019    2:05:53
11  ADBI, Bashir BEL             31 178 64 2:06:14 2019    2:06:14
21  OSAKO,Suguru Nike            28 168 53 2:05:50 2018    2:05:50
22  SHITARA,Yuta Honda           28 170 48 2:06:11 2018    2:06:11
23  INOUE,Hiroto MHPS            27 165 51 2:06:54 2018    2:06:54
24  YAMAMOTO,Kenji               30 165 53 2:08:42 2019    2:08:42
25  MURAYAMA,Kenta               27 175 55 2:08:56 2019    2:08:56
26  SATO,Yuki                    33 178 59 2:08:58 2018    2:08:58
27  SONODA,Hayato                30 166 50 2:09:34 2018    2:09:34
28  KAMINO,Daichi                26 165 46 2:10:18 2018    2:10:18
29  HORIO,Kensuke                23 183 61 2:10:21 2019    2:10:21
30  KAWAI,Daiji                  28 176 54 2:10:50 2019    2:10:50
31  DAIROKUNO,Shuho              27 168 51 27:46.55 10000m 27:46.55
101 MIYAWAKI,Chihiro             28 176 57 2:08:45 2018    2:08:45
102 UEKADO,Daisuke               26 175 59 2:09:27 2017    2:09:27
103 HASHIMOTO,Ryo      GMO       26 172 55 2:09:29 2019    2:09:29
104 IWATA,Yuji         MHPS      32 170 54 2:09:30 2019    2:09:30
105 SIMON,Kariuki                23 178 59 2:09:41 2019    2:09:41
106 ISSHIKI,Tadashi    GMO       25 169 55 2:09:43 2018    2:09:43
107 TAKAKU,Ryu                   27 169 54 2:10:02 2019    2:10:02
108 TANAKA,Asuka                 30 175 57 2:10:13 2018    2:10:13
109 YAMAGISHI,Hiroki   GMO       28 170 54 2:10:14 2018    2:10:14
110 FUJIKAWA,Takuya              27 163 49 2:10:35 2019    2:10:35
111 OISHI,Minato                 31 162 49 2:10:39 2017    2:10:39
112 TAKAMIYA,Yuki                32 173 56 2:11:05 2017    2:10:57
113 TAKEUCHI,Ryoma               27 175 60 2:11:20 2019    2:11:20
114 KIYOTANI,Takumi              31 178 62 2:11:24 2019    2:11:24
115 SANO,Hiroaki       Honda     32 175 52 2:11:24 2017    2:09:12
116 TAKAHASHI,Yuta               26 171 58 2:11:25 2019    2:11:25
117 HAMASAKI,Tatsunori AC        31 172 56 2:11:26 2017    2:11:26
118 OKAMOTO,Naoki                35 176 56 2:11:29 2018    2:11:29
119 KIKUCHI,Masato               29 173 57 2:11:53 2019    2:11:53
120 SUZUKI,Tadashi               31 178 59 2:12:09 2017    2:12:09
121 OGURA,Yusuke                 26 169 54 2:12:10 2019    2:12:10
122 KIMURA,Shin Honda            26 172 53 2:12:12 2019    2:12:12
123 YAMAZAKI,Syota               29 168 56 2:12:15 2018    2:12:15
124 NAKAMURA,Yasuyuki            35 170 58 2:12:22 2019    2:12:22
125 TANAKA,Keisuke               31 178 62 2:12:41 2018    2:12:41
126 KUSAKA,Keisuke               28 176 59 2:12:42 2017    2:12:42
127 MATSUI,Tomoyasu              27 166 50 2:12:51 2019    2:12:51
128 KURATA,Shohei      GMO       27 171 56 2:13:16 2017    2:13:16
129 TAKASE,Muryo                 31 171 50 2:13:28 2019    2:12:31
130 HATTORI,Shota      Honda     28 164 53 2:13:30 2019    2:13:30
131 SAKAI,Masanori               33 175 58 2:13:31 2018    2:09:10
132 SUMIDA,Masanori              24 165 55 2:13:33 2019    2:13:33
133 SHIMODA,Yuta       GMO       23 169 54 2:13:42 2019    2:11:34
134 KOIZUMI,Yoshiki              26 165 51 2:13:50 2018    2:13:50
135 IINUMA,Kenta       SG        32 173 55 2:13:55 2019    2:13:43
136 IWASA,Issei                  22 167 56 2:14:00 2018    2:14:00
137 TAKESHITA,Kazuki             24 162 49 2:14:14 2019    2:14:14
138 MORIHASHI,Kansuke            26 182 63 2:14:17 2019    2:14:17
139 DEGUCHI,Kazuya     RC        31 178 72 2:14:24 2018    2:14:24
140 NAKAMURA,Takahiro            36 172 54 2:14:25 2018    2:14:25
141 MATSUO,Shuji                 28 169 58 2:14:27 2019    2:14:27
142 SHITARA,Keita                28 169 49 2:14:31 2019    2:14:31
143 MAKINO,Saeki                 32 181 60 2:14:36 2019    2:14:36
144 JIROMARU,Kenichi             35 182 65 2:14:48 2018    2:14:48
145 MORIKAWA,Shouhei             29 173 57 2:14:53 2018    2:14:53
146 MATSUI,Masaki                26 169 54 2:14:54 2018    2:14:54
147 FUKUSHIMA,Hiromasa           32 171 57 2:14:56 2019    2:14:56
148 ONISHI,Junki                 27 171 57 2:15:00 2018    2:15:00
149 OSHITA,Kohei                 25 169 53 2:15:09 2018    2:15:09
150 IKEDA,Soji                   33 163 53 2:15:21 2017    2:10:59
151 MOMOZAWA, Daisuke            27 168 52 2:15:23 2019    2:15:23
152 KAWAGUCHI,Masahiro           34 177 59 2:15:26 2019    2:13:27
153 KANAMORI,Hiroto              26 165 50 2:15:37 2019    2:15:37
154 KUMAHASHI,Hiromasa           25 163 45 2:15:49 2018    2:15:49
155 HASHIRA,Kinya                32 171 60 2:15:51 2018    2:15:51
156 SADAKATA,Toshiki   MHPS      27 171 59 2:15:53 2019    2:15:53
157 KUNISHI,Hiroto               26 167 57 2:15:59 2019    2:15:59
158 NISHIYAMA,Ryohei             26 171 59 2:16:00 2018    2:15:42
159 TAKAHASHI,Masato TRACK TOKYO 26 171 53 2:16:07 2019    2:16:07
160 OTANI,Kouta        JFE       32 179 59 2:16:24 2018    2:16:24
161 MARUYAMA,Tatsuya             25 165 50 2:16:27 2019    2:16:27
162 KAIJO,Tomohiro               31 172 58 2:16:32 2019    2:16:32
163 TAKADA,Koki                  26 171 55 2:16:32 2019    2:16:32
164 MATSUMOTO,Nobuyuki           28 169 50 2:16:37 2019    2:16:37
165 SUGIMOTO,Shun                25 176 59 2:16:45 2019    2:16:45
166 YOTTSUJI,Tsuyoshi            23 167 53 2:16:53 2019    2:16:53
167 KADOTA,Hiroki                34 174 65 2:16:57 2017    2:10:46
168 KAZAMI,Nao                   36 170 55 2:16:58 2019    2:16:58
169 KANEKO,Akihiro               25 171 52 2:17:06 2019    2:17:06
170 KINDE, Yonas       IOC       39 174 58 2:17:12 2019    2:17:12
171 NAKAMURA,Yoshiki             25 171 55 2:17:10 2019    2:17:10
172 HOSOMORI,Daisuke   YKK       25 179 59 2:17:14 2019    2:17:14


ELITE ATHLETES (WOMEN)

No. Name Nationality Club       Age cm  kg Qlfd Time&Year PersonalBestTime
51  AGA, Ruti ETH                26 152 44 2:18:34 2018    2:18:34
52  DIBABA, Birhane ETH          26 160 48 2:18:46 2019    2:18:46
53  AIYABEI, Valary KEN          28 155 38 2:19:10 2019    2:19:10
54  CEMTAI SALPETER, Lonah ISR   31 165 48 2:19:46 2019    2:19:46
55  GIRMA, Tigist ETH            26 168 55 2:19:52 2019    2:19:52
56  GEBRU, Azmera ETH            24 160 48 2:20:48 2019    2:20:48
57  DEMISE, Shure ETH            24 167 56 2:21:05 2019    2:20:59
58  CHEPYEGO KAPTICH, Selly KEN  34 160 42 2:21:06 2019    2:21:06
59  ESHETE, Shitaye BRN          29 155 45 2:21:33 2019    2:21:33
60  LEMA, Marta ETH              29 162 46 2:22:35 2018    2:22:35
61  ASEFA KEBEDE, Sutume ETH     25 160 47 2:23:31 2019    2:23:31
62  TEFERI, Senbere ETH          24 159 45 2:24:11 2018    2:24:11
63  DEELSTRA, Andrea NED         34 164    2:31:29 2019    2:26:46
64  CLIFF, Rachel CAN            31 163 47 2:26:56 2019    2:26:56
301 YAMAGUCHI, Haruka  AC·KITA   32 167 49 2:27:39 2019    2:27:39
302 YOSHIDA,Kaori      TEAM R×L  38 155 42 2:28:24 2017    2:28:24
303 NOGUCHI,Risa                 30 159 44 2:28:32 2017    2:28:09
304 DOI,Yurie                    31 164 54 2:29:49 2018    2:29:49
305 KANESHIGE,Shiho    GRlab     30 154 41 2:31:56 2019    2:31:56
306  KINOSHITA,Yumiko            33 154 42 2:34:19 2019    2:34:19
307 ISAKA,Nao          RUNS      25 160    2:36:48 2019    2:36:48
308 YOSHIMATSU,Hisae             40 164 45 2:37:01 2018    2:28:49
309 INO,Mitsuko                  36 165 48 2:39:04 2019    2:34:39
310 TAKAHAMA,Kasumi              34 160 50 2:39:49 2018    2:39:49
311 MIZUSEDA,Yuki                30 151 41 2:40:47 2019    2:40:47
312 HIROSE,Mitsuko     WINGS     45 158 49 2:41:51 2017    2:30:27
313 TANAKA,Momoko                33 155 42 2:42:09 2018    2:42:09
314 FUJISAWA,Mai                 45 160 46 2:42:36 2019    2:42:36
315 MORIKAWA,Chiaki TOKYO BAY RC 32 162 50 2:42:42 2019    2:42:42
316 OTARU,Mizuha                 23 157 43 2:42:53 2019    2:40:41
317 MATSUMOTO,Kyoko              49 158 43 2:43:21 2017    2:43:21
318 NORIMATSU, Yuri    MM        32 157 38 2:43:41 2019    2:43:41
319 NAKAJIMA,Tomomi    GRlab     30 154 42 2:44:13 2019    2:44:13
320 KOYANAGI,Yuka                46 154 42 2:44:28 2017    2:44:28
321 YASUKAWA,Sayaka    Awake     37 157 46 2:44:40 2018    2:44:40
322 MASUDA,Kana        stylish   31 164 50 2:44:52 2019    2:44:52
323 KANO,Yuri                    41 152 42 2:45:09 2017    2:24:27
324 TAKANO,Miyuki                25 148 51 2:46:05 2019    2:46:05
325 OGO,Ai                       46 173 49 2:46:16 2019    2:46:16
326 SUZUKI,Eri                   35 161 44 2:46:16 2017    2:46:16
327 MABUCHI,Yuko                 37 152 46 2:46:42 2017    2:46:42
328 KOSUGI,Youko                 40 157 45 2:46:58 2019    2:46:58
329 SUGO,Akiko                   25 163 52 2:46:58 2019    2:46:15

                                    ###


 

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