TOKYO, Japan, Mar 1 – Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia won the virus-hit Tokyo marathon reduced from a mass participation event of 38,000 runners to just elite athletes on Sunday because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Kenyans did not post favorable results at the race. Bedan Karoki was the best placed Kenyan in the men’s race, finishing fifth in a time of 2hrs 6mins and 15secs.

Saly Chepyego was the only Kenyan in the women’s top 10, finishing fourth in a time of 2hrs, 21mins and 42secs in a race won by Kenyan-turned Israeli Lorna Chemtai Salpeter.

The race, which doubled up as an trial for Japanese athletes hoping to run in their home Tokyo Olympics later this year, was limited to 200 participants including wheelchair racers.

Legese won his second successive Tokyo marathon in 2hr 4min 15sec with Bashir Abdi of Belgium second in 2:04.49 followed by Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia 2:04:51.

“I’m very happy,” said Legese, who crossed the line 33 seconds quicker than when winning last year. “The time is good, although I’d thought I would be able to run faster.

“But today was a bit windy and my pace in the early stage of the race was not very good, so I accept it,” he said.

Salpeter of Israel won the women’s race in 2:17.45 ahead of Ethiopian runners Birhane Dibaba and Sutume Asefa Kebede in 2:18:35 and 2:20:30 respectively.

The Tokyo marathon is one of the biggest sporting events to be affected by the coronavirus in Japan, with the Olympic Games opening ceremony less than five months away.

Last week, the International Tennis Federation said Japan’s home Davis Cup tie against Ecuador in Miki next weekend will be played behind closed doors.

The Japanese Football Association has postponed all top-flight J-League matches until March 15.

The International Olympic Committee said last week it was “fully committed” to holding the 2020 Games in Tokyo as planned, despite the widening new coronavirus outbreak.

The viral outbreak across Japan and dozens of other countries has fuelled concerns about the Summer Games, which open on July 24.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stepped up national measures to contain the virus, calling on organisers of large events to consider cancelling or delaying them.

Disruption caused by the virus has affected Olympic qualifying in several sports, including football, boxing, badminton, handball and wrestling and sailing.

Tokyo’s Olympic organisers have repeatedly said they are focused on holding a safe Olympics and Paralympics with the IOC’s full backing.

(Visited 16 times, 1 visits today)

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"dd","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Homeboyz leave it late, keep pressure on Gor

rn rn Footballrn rn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Man City hold off Aston Villa to retain League Cuprn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 30 minutes ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Everton boss Ancelotti sees red in Man Utd drawrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 1 hour ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Bekele breaks Farah’s London half-marathon recordrn

rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn 2 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Jimenez rocks Spurs as Wolves boost Euro bidrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 3 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Nadal cruises past Fritz to win Acapulco titlern

rn rn rn rn rn 8 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Wilder exercises rematch clause for third Fury fight – reportsrn

rn rn Boxingrn rn rn rn 8 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn

• SportPesa announce change of its global sponsorships by ALEX ISABOKE NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 17 u2013 Hours after English Premier League…
• Gor boss Polack explains Kipkurui absence by Timothy Olobulu NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 7 u2013 Gor Mahia head coach Steve…
• Everton to terminate SportPesa contract by ALEX ISABOKE LONDON, United Kingdom, Feb 16 u2013 English Premier League side…
• Lavatsa makes Gor return as window shuts by Timothy Olobulu NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 1 u2013 Edwin Lavatsa has marked a…
• Rudisha to make Olympics decision by May by Timothy Olobulu Kenya's 800 metres world record holder and olympic champion David…

rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Man City hold off Aston Villa to retain League Cup

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Everton boss Ancelotti sees red in Man Utd draw

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Bekele breaks Farah’s London half-marathon record

rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Jimenez rocks Spurs as Wolves boost Euro bid

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Nadal cruises past Fritz to win Acapulco title

rn rn rn rn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL ARSENAL FINISH TOP FOUR IN 2019/20 EPL SEASON?

ntt
• NO
ntt
• YES
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Wilder exercises rematch clause for third Fury fight – reports

rn rn rn Boxingrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Djokovic eyes new win streak after capturing 79th career title

rn rn rn Gamern rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

‘It is not over’: Klopp warns Reds after unbeaten run ends

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Liverpool surrender unbeaten record after Watford thrashing

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Saturday, 29th Feb 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Olympics bound Okoth bags silver in boxing qualifiers

rn rn rn Boxingrn rn Saturday, 29th Feb 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Man City hold off Aston Villa to retain League Cuprn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Everton boss Ancelotti sees red in Man Utd drawrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Bekele breaks Farah’s London half-marathon recordrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Jimenez rocks Spurs as Wolves boost Euro bidrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Homeboyz leave it late, keep pressure on Gorrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn

• SportPesa announce change of its global sponsorships by ALEX ISABOKE NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 17 u2013 Hours after English Premier League…
• Gor boss Polack explains Kipkurui absence by Timothy Olobulu NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 7 u2013 Gor Mahia head coach Steve…
• Everton to terminate SportPesa contract by ALEX ISABOKE LONDON, United Kingdom, Feb 16 u2013 English Premier League side…
• Lavatsa makes Gor return as window shuts by Timothy Olobulu NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 1 u2013 Edwin Lavatsa has marked a…
• Rudisha to make Olympics decision by May by Timothy Olobulu Kenya's 800 metres world record holder and olympic champion David…

rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Man City hold off Aston Villa to retain League Cuprn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Everton boss Ancelotti sees red in Man Utd drawrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Bekele breaks Farah’s London half-marathon recordrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Jimenez rocks Spurs as Wolves boost Euro bidrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Homeboyz leave it late, keep pressure on Gorrn rn rn Viewrn rn Sunday, 1st Mar 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */