Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgey eye victories in their first Tokyo Marathon on Sunday

Kenya’s World record-holders Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei are set to make their debut in the Tokyo Marathon set to be held tomorrow in Japan.

Covid pandemic prevented the Tokyo Marathon race from taking place last year but Eliud Kipchonge and Brigid Kosgei competed at the marathon event during the Tokyo Olympics last year claiming gold and silver medals respectively.

Kipchoge has won 13 of the 15 marathon races he has contested so far and two of those came in 2021. It will be Kipchoge’s third time racing in Japan with his 2007 world championship in Osaka being his first claiming 5000 metres silver as he works towards his aim of winning each of the four Abbott World Marathon Majors.

In August, Eliud successfully defended his Olympic marathon crown on the streets of Sapporo at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Now the Kenyan distance running icon has targeted a return to Japan, where he makes his Tokyo Marathon debut.

Eliud, the world record-holder and the first man in history to run a sub-two-hour marathon – achieving the feat at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge – has spoken of his desire to compete and win all six Abbott World Marathon Majors, regarded as the world’s top six marathon races.

A record-breaking four-time winner of the London Marathon, a three-time Berlin Marathon champion and the 2014 Chicago Marathon victor – Eliud will be pursuing victory at a fourth Marathon Major in Tokyo.

Eliud is excited to run in Tokyo:

“I would like to thank the organisers of the Tokyo Marathon to make it possible for me and my colleague athletes to race in Tokyo. My focus has been on Tokyo from the beginning of my training cycle, and I can say I am ready to race there. I am very excited to run in a country where running is a crucial part of the sport culture and looking forward to experience the Japanese excitement for running an the marathon in particular.”

Last year he not only completed back-to-back Olympic marathon victories but he also triumphed in the NN Mission Marathon in Enschede.

Eliud Kipchoge is seen as the greatest marathon runner in history. A two-time Olympic 5000m medallist – since moving up to the 42.2km distance, Eliud has won a remarkable 13 of his 15 career marathons.

Eliud will be joined by his team mates, Jonathan Korir, Laban Korir and Ashete Bekere. Philemon Kacheran and Noah Kipkemboi will join as pacemakers.

He will be competing against Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata, Mosinet Geremew and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto.

Kosgei will also face some strong opposition as she to claims to win her fifth major marathon win.

She will compete with her fellow Kenyan Angelaa Tanui, Ashete Bekere, Mao Ichiyama, US Sarah Hall and Helen Bekele.