Top guns likely to feature in Kenya's marathon squad to Tokyo

Kenyan long distance runner Sharon Lokedi crosses the finish line to win the women's race during the 129th Boston Marathon on April 21, 2025, in Boston, Massachusetts. [ AFP] Every second, Sugoi. This is the official motto of the 2025 Tokyo World Championships - the biggest athletics thriller this year. Set for September 13 to 21 at the Japanese capital, the showdown is set to cause waves across the athletics world, right from a city that hosted the 2020 Olympic Games. The motto, Every Second, Sugoi had earlier in the year sparked hilarious debates online in Kenya. It was because the word Sugoi was similar to the name of a famous village in Uasin Gishu County, one of the country's producers of world beaters in athletics and also the home of Kenya's president William Rutto. But in Japan, the word means extraordinary, and in Kenya, it loosely translates to a rocky place. Global stars will however be in Japan in September for the Sugoi (extraordinary) moment. That aside, the deadline for athletes to hit the qualifying standards for the marathon and 35km race walk was on Sunday May 4, 2025, and the times are faster compared to previous athletics shows. It means, Kenya is soon going to name its marathon squad, an exercise that has always been the culmination of a meticulous selection process. In the men's marathon for instance, an athlete who will be selected to fly their country's colours in Tokyo four months from today, must have run under 2:06:30 within the qualification window to make the men's team. According to the World Athletics, the qualifying window for the marathon and 35km race walk was November 5, 2023 until May 4, 2025. For the 10,000m, 20km race walk, combined events and relays, the window runs from 25 February 2024 to 24 August 2025. For all other events, entry standards can be achieved from 1 August 2024 to 24 August 2025. Compared to the qualification standard for the last major global event - the 2024 Paris Olympics Games, which was 2:08:10 the men, the Tokyo World Championships mark, is one minute, 40 seconds faster. Women's qualifying mark was even lowered by a bigger margin, with marathoners set to run under 2:23:30, which is three minutes 20 seconds faster than the time required for women athletes to qualify for the Paris Olympics. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said during the launch of Tokyo championships timetable: "We are thrilled to be returning to Tokyo with the biggest stars of our sport who will light up the iconic stadium across nine days of awe-inspiring competition. They are sure to delight fans from Japan and around the world with their breath-taking performances." For the 10,000m, the qualification process has been revised to include only the top three from the Cross Country Tour, reduced from the previous top eight. A review of previous performances and world rankings gives a hint of who is likely to feature prominently in Kenya's marathon team to Tokyo25. Sabastian Sawe, 29 World half marathon champion Sabastian Sawe is the latest 42km sensation. Sawe produced a phenomenal marathon victory at the London Marathon on April 27, a second win in the classic distance within five months. Last December, Sawe delivered a win in his debut at the Valencia Marathon in 2:02:05, raising eyebrows, only to confirm his consistency by clocking 2:02:27. He became the second fastest athlete in the London marathon after the late world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum who ran 2:01:25 in 2023. "The secret has been training well and trusting the process... I can't say that I am planning to break a world record but everything will happen in its time," Sawe said after the London Marathon. John Korir, 28 Korir has been racing spectacularly and winning marathons in style. He might earn his first outing representing Kenya this year, in Tokyo. With two world marathon major titles - Chicago and Boston under his belt, Korir could be yearning for a World Championship medal on his wall cabinet. By the time he won the Boston on April 21, the younger Korir had shored up his long distance racing career with last year's Chicago marathon win and consistently booking spots on the podium in several previous contests among them two back-to-back wins at the Los Angeles marathon (2021 and 2022) and runner-up positions at 2022 Houston Marathon and a third place in Chicago the same year. His brother Wesley Korir, a former Boston Marathon champion, has been his source of inspiration. Amos Kipruto, 32 A former world bronze medallist, Kipruto is likely to feature in the Kenyan marathon team to Tokyo. The same day Sawe was producing a mouthwatering speed in London, Kipruto was causing a major wave in Hamburg, Germany. The 2019 world bronze medallist ran a superb 2:03:46 to win Hamburg 42km in a course record time that pushed him up to the fourth fastest marathoner this year after Sawe, Tokyo Marathon winner Tadese Takele of Ethiopia and Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo, the London Marathon runner-up and half marathon record holder. Kipruto, who trains in Kapsabet led Philemon Kiplimo (2:04:01) and Erick Sang (2:04:30) to an all-Kenyan podium sweep. "Philemon and I supported each other and that was the plan. The spectators gave me a lot of motivation. I will be back again next year," he said after his victory. Benson Kipruto, 34 His marathon CV remains among the impressive ones and with his bronze medal at the Paris Olympics last year, Kipruto could be among big names in the yet-to-be unveiled team. He had earned his place in the Kenyan team for the Paris Olympics after storming to victory in the 2024 Tokyo Olympics. However, a disappointing seventh place at the 2025 Tokyo Marathon might raise questions on his shape this year. The former Chicago Marathon champion ran 2:05:46 for seventh place in Tokyo. Big wigs among them London Marathon winner (2024) Alexander Mutiso Munyao and Vincent Ngetich could also be surprise entrants. Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge had indicated after finishing sixth in London that he would be competing in the Sydney Marathon, the latest major on August 31. Ruth Chepngetich, 30 After pulling out of the London Marathon in April, Chepngetich, who is the world record holder, is tipped to anchor the marathon squad to glory in Tokyo. Chepngetich obliterated Tigist Assefa's world record of 2:11:53, set in Berlin in 2023, at the 2024 Chicago Marathon, running 2:09:56, becoming the first woman to run a sub 2:10 the 42.195km distance. If she responds to calls to fly the Kenyan flag in Tokyo, she would be taking to the global show a gold medal from Doha 2019. "I feel so great. I'm very proud of myself. This is my dream. I fought a lot, thinking about the world record. The world record has come back to Kenya, and I dedicate this world record to Kelvin Kiptum," Chepngetich had told World Athletics after the record-breaking moment. Brigid Kosgei, 31 Kenya's former world record holder Brigid Kosgei was second in 2:18:26 and Sichala Kumeshi followed in third place with 2:19:53. For the first time three women broke the 2:20:00 barrier in Hamburg. Norway's debutant Karoline Grovdal dropped out before the 30k mark. Back from injuries, that forced her to withdraw from team Kenyan to Paris Olympics, Kosgei could feature in the Kenyan marathon contingent to Tokyo. Former women-only world record holder Peres Jepchirchir who also pulled out of the London Marathon in April remains a big contender. Jepchirchir and Kosgei bagged gold and silver respectively at the 2020 Olympics. Hellen Obiri, 35 She will be one of the most experienced and decorated women athletes if she signs up for the Tokyo assignment. Fresh from a second place (2:17:41) at the Boston Marathon, Obiri remains a dominant figure, having controlled proceedings from track to the marathon. At the Paris Olympics last year, she won for Kenya a bronze medal in a blistering contest. Sharon Lokedi, 31 Lokedi just made a huge statement in winning the 2025 Boston Marathon. She won the Boston race in 2:17:22, chipping two minutes and 37 seconds off the previous course record that had stood for 11 years. She also represented the country at the Paris Olympics and had won the New York City marathon in 2022. Joyciline Jepkosgei, who finished second, timing 02:18:43, behind Ethiopian Tigst Assefa who emerged victorious in 02:15:50, is also among potentials in the women's team. 2001 Edmonton World Championships marathon silver medallist Simon Biwott said the faster qualifying times signifies strong competitions in the global showpiece. According to Biwott, 2:06 for men and 2:23 standard for women was not a shocker. "More men are running under 2:06 and lowering the time was justifiable because even the world record in the men's marathon is 2:00:35 and it was 2:06 in 2001," Biwott who had the company of Josphat Kiprono and the late Samson Kandie in Edmonton, Canada, said. He said consistency has been a major factor for one to qualify to represent Kenya in the World Championships and the Olympics. "In 2000, I won the Berlin and Milan Marathons. The following year, I claimed victory in Paris. From that consistency, I was selected to represent the country in 2001," he told Standard Sport.

Top guns likely to feature in Kenya's marathon squad to Tokyo

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