TOKYO, JAPAN, February 03 — Sutume Asefa’s speedy start to the Olympic year continued at the Tokyo Marathon and she ran away from a strong field to a 2:15:55 win, a course record on the World Marathon Major Tokyo course and the 10th fastest on the All-Time women’s list.
Aside from running the fastest women’s marathon ever in Japan, Asefa prevailed over a trio of champion runners with defending Tokyo champ Rosemary Wanjiru finishing 2nd in 2:16:14, reigning world champ Amane Beriso 3rd in 2:16:58, and previously unbeaten-in-the-marathon Sifan Hassan 4th in 2:18:05.
Betsy Saina made a quick recovery from her DNF at the U.S. Trials to finish 5th in 2:19:17, the No. 3 all-time run by an American woman.
As much as this was a battle between proven winners, there was precious little drama as the pacers stuck close to the targeted 3:14 kilometer clip.
The opening downhill 5K was covered in a cautious 16:16, then quickened just a bit to reach 10K in 32:24 (2:16:43 pace) with Asefa and Wanjiru running between the two male pacers. Beriso and Hassan skimmed along a stride back, with Saina at the rear of a pack of a couple dozen sub-elite men.
The steady pace continued crossing 15K in 48:38, and by the time the lead trio of Asefa, Wanjiru and Beriso passed 20K in 64:45 (2:16:36 pace), Hassan had slipped to the back of the group, with Saina off the back.
After crossing halfway in 68:15 with Asefa clipping at the heels of the two pacers, the hares delivered a 15:58 next-5K segment before stepping aside at 25K (1:20:43 — 2:16:14 pace).
Unexpectedly, Hassan also stepped aside at the 25K aid station, then backtracked.
“I missed my bottle at 25K and turned back to get it,” Hassan posted. “Unfortunately, after that, I was not able to close the gap with the first group. Once again the marathon taught me valuable lessons.”
Hassan’s hopes for a more normal race were dashed at 25K and one lesson learned is that running down a lead pack at 2:18:33 pace like she did in London is one thing, catching a group accelerating toward 2:16 is another.
Up front, the lead trio kept up a high tempo through a 16:00-flat 5K segment, passing 30K in 1:36:43 (2:16:02 pace) with Hassan 15 seconds in arrears.
Right on cue, Beriso went to the front. The 32-year-old Ethiopian won her last two marathons in dominating fashion, shocking Letesenbet Gidey to run…
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