32 days until the Tokyo Marathon: here are 64 profiles, two each day

Placing Tsegaye here just in case she is in. 35yo and not ranked. Third At Hengshui Lake in 2.28.30 in her comeback, first result since 2016. In that year won Dubai in her PB of 2.19.41 and fourth at the Olympics.

Next to finish may be Bashir Abdi, 31yo and ranked 68. Made his breakthrough last year in London: seventh in 2.07.03, knocking 3.43 off his PB; then fifth in Chicago in 2.06.14.

deathinparadise wrote:

Aussiestatman wrote:

Seventh to finish should be Getaneh Molla, 26yo and ranked 47. Won Dubai last year in 2.03.34. Just needs to finish a second event to confirm the first.

Should ? Could ? Hopefully he's not DNS this time, like he was in Chicago and Valencia...like the runner-up in Dubai 2019, Negasa, the guy who painted over his 4% shoes if memory serves ! It's a strange sport when there is ZERO news out there about a guy who won a major marathon with a smashing time !

Do you think he will show up?

I think this race is cancelled.

The elite race has not been cancelled. Only the mass event.

With twelve days to go, I will get some of these done tonight and tomorrow.

13th woman might be Marta Megra. Known as Marta Lema as well, 29yo and ranked 19. That is totally too high. Won Hengshui Lake last September in 2.24.21, taking 1.22 off the CR. Sixth in Paris 2018 in 2.24.08 then second in Toronto in 2.22.35.

Next to finish could be Hassan El Abbassi, 35yo and ranked 26. PB from 2018 is 2.04.43 for second in Valencia. Seventh at the worlds last year in 2.11.44.

14th woman may be Rachel Cliff, 31yo and ranked 218. PB of 2.26.56 at Nagoya last March when 15th. How many times in distance running history have 15 women broken 2.27? So deep. Rachel is yet to break 70 in a half but has four sub 70.30’s.

Six days until it is on.

Aussiestatman wrote:

Six days until it is on.

I will not get to 64 profiles, but will have some time tomorrow. The Japanese men going for one Olympic place and what order they finish in fascinating.

15th to cross the line might be Yuki Sato, 33yo and ranked 225. At 5k here last year was in the lead pack in 14.38. Finished 16th in 2.15.07. In 2018 ran his PB in finishing tenth here in 2.08.58 and sixth in Berlin in 2.09.18.

Next lady should be Yuri Kano, 41yo and ranked 1181. Was second here in November 2008 in 2.24.27. Hasn’t been under 2.36 since 2010. The question is: can Yuri get back to the rarified air of sub 2.28. Over the half distance, Kano still has the 14th best time among her countrywomen: 68.57, also from 2008.

Aussiestatman wrote:

14th woman may be Rachel Cliff, 31yo and ranked 218. PB of 2.26.56 at Nagoya last March when 15th. How many times in distance running history have 15 women broken 2.27? So deep. Rachel is yet to break 70 in a half but has four sub 70.30’s.

Rachel is the former Canadian record holder in the half marathon and marathon, and will need to run close to record time or top 10 if she wants to get an Olympic spot.

16th man could be Kenji Yamamoto, 30yo and ranked 279. Seventh last March in Lake Biwa in 2.08.42 then 16th in the Grand Champs. In 2018 was ninth here in 2.08.48.

Aussiestatman wrote:

Aussiestatman wrote:

Eighth to finish may be Dickson Chumba, 33yo and ranked 113. Has a great record here: never been off the podium in every year here; six consecutive events, 2014-19. Won twice in 2014 and 2018. But this group of competitors is deeper. A bit more soon.

Won Chicago in 2015 and Track and Field News ranked him 8th that year. Previous year was ranked fourth after his PB for third in Chicago of 2.04.32.

Ken Nakamura of world Athletics seemed to echo some of my opinion in his preview

A summary of the press conference here, it's gonna be FAST it seems with Lemma going for 2:02 !

https://japanrunningnews.blogspot.com/2020/02/tokyo-marathon-preview.html

Sixteenth lady may be Haruka Yamaguchi, 32yo and ranked 148. Last month was seventh in Osaka in 2.26.35. Seven marathons last year including the last two 13 days apart. One being winning Kobe in 2.27.39, almost four minutes off the CR.

Next to finish might be Kenta Murayama, 27yo and ranked 275. Last April was a poor 38th in Hamburg in 2.21.25. Better in September in Berlin: ninth in 2.08.56. In 2018 was second down the road here on the Gold Coast in 2.09.50.