In Tokyo on Sunday, Paula Radcliffe, a former world record holder, ran her first competitive marathon in ten years. Ten years after concluding her illustrious athletic career at the 2015 London Marathon, Radcliffe, 51, completed in two hours, 57 minutes, and 26 seconds.
With a run of 2:15:25 in 2003, the Briton held the world record for 16 years until Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei smashed it in 2019. Additionally, Sunday’s winner, Sutume Asefa Kebede of Ethiopia, who defended her Tokyo championship in 2:16:31, nevertheless beat her previous record.
Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa finished third in 2:17:00, followed by Kenya’s Winfridah Moraa Moseti in second place in 2:16:56. Tadese Takele of Ethiopia won his first major marathon championship in the men’s division in 2:03:23.
Third place went to Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich of Kenya in 2:04:00, followed by Deresa Geleta of Ethiopia in 2:03:51. Joshua Cheptegei, a double Olympic track champion from Uganda, finished ninth. As part of her goal to compete in all six major marathons, Radcliffe will also run in the Boston Marathon next month.
Radcliffe plans to participate in all six major marathons, including the Boston Marathon next month. In an interview with Athletics Weekly, she stated: “I turned 50 last year and am now 51. When I think about my remaining aspirations, crossing off the six marathon majors is usually one of them.
“I never really got the chance to race Tokyo because it was five for the majority of my career before Tokyo was added. And because Boston was so near to London, I never went there. The other big marathons are in Berlin, Chicago, and New York, in addition to London, Boston, and Tokyo.
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