Emmanuel Mutai And Edna Kiplagat Lead 2016 Tokyo Marathon Fields; 2016’s First Major Will Take Place On February 28
by LetsRun.com
January 21, 2016
Earlier today the organizers of the Tokyo Marathon – 2016’s first Abbott World Marathon Major, which will take place on February 28 – sent us their entire elite fields for next month’s race. They are as follows:
Men
Name (Country) PB Site of PB
Emmanuel Mutai (KEN) 2:03:13 2014 Berlin
Dickson Chumba (KEN) 2:04:32 2014 Chicago
Feyisa Lilesa (ETH) 2:04:52 2012 Chicago
Abel Kirui (KEN) 2:05:04 2009 Rotterdam
Eliud Kiptanui (KEN) 2:05:21 2015 Berlin
Bernard Kipyego (KEN) 2:06:19 2015 Amsterdam
Steven Kiprotich (UGA) 2:06:33 2015 Tokyo
Samuel Ndungu (KEN) 2:07:04 2012 Lake Biwa
Masato Imai (JPN) 2:07:39 2015 Tokyo
Arata Fujiwara (JPN) 2:07:48 2012 Tokyo
Kohei Matumura (JPN) 2:08:09 2014 Tokyo
Hiroaki Sano (JPN) 2:09:12 2015 Tokyo
Koji Gokaya(JPN) 2:09:21 2015 Tokyo
Javier Guerra (ESP) 2:09:33 2015 London
Takehiro Deki (JPN) 2:10:02 2012 Lake Biwa
Tsuyoshi Ugachi (JPN) 2:10:50 2014 Fukuoka
Hiroyuki Yamamoto (JPN) 2:11:48 2015 Beppu-Oita
Teklemariam Medhin (ERI) Making marathon debut, World XC bronze and silver medallist
Kenta Murayama (JPN) Making Marathon Debut, 22 years old, 27:39, 60:50 pbs.
Edna Kiplagat After Winning NY in 2010
Women
Name (Country) PB Site of PB
Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:50 2012 London
Aberu Kebede (ETH) 2:20:30 2012 Berlin
Shure Demise (ETH) 2:20:59 2015 Dubai
Birhane Dibaba (ETH) 2:22:30 2014 Tokyo
Amane Gobena (ETH) 2:23:29 2015 Paris
Ashete Dido (ETH) 2:23:43 2015 Dubai
Helah Kiprop (KEN) 2:24:03 2015 Tokyo
Maja Neuenschwander (SUI) 2:26:49 2015 Berlin
Isabellah Andersson (SWE) 2:23:41 2011 Dubai
A few thoughts:
1) This is where LetsRun.com’s Top 10 Ranked Marathoners are racing this winter/spring.
| Spring 2016 Marathon Choice for LetsRun.com’s Top 10 Men’s Ranked Marathoners of 2015 | ||
| 1 | Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) | London |
| 2 | Stanley Biwott (KEN) | London |
| 3 | Ghirmay Ghebreslassie (ERI) | London |
| 4 | Lelisa Desisa (ETH) | Boston |
| 5 | Berhanu Lemi (ETH) | Dubai & Boston |
| 6 | Yemane Tsegay (ETH) | Boston |
| 7 | Wilson Kipsang (KEN) | London |
| 8 | Dickson Chumba (KEN) | Tokyo |
| 9 | Bernard Kipyego (KEN) | Tokyo |
| 10 | Endeshaw Negesse (ETH) | London |
and
| Spring 2016 Marathon Choice for LetsRun.com’s Top 10 Women’s Ranked Marathoners From 2015 | ||
| 1 | Mare Dibaba | London |
| 2 | Mary Keitany | London |
| 3 | Gladys Cherono | London |
| 4 | Aselefech Mergia | London |
| 5 | Tigist Tufa | London |
| 6 | Birhane Dibaba | Tokyo |
| 7 | Florence Kiplagat | London |
| 8 | Eunice Kirwa | ?? |
| 9 | Helah Kiprop | Tokyo |
| 10 | Caroline Rotich | Boston |
2) Tokyo will definitely be the weakest Abbott World Marathon Major held in the first half of 2016.
If the first two tables didn’t convince you, then take a look at the following charts which compare the three AWMM races and Dubai based on the PRs of their entrants.
Men
| Men | 2016 London | 2016 Boston | 2016 Tokyo | 2016 Dubai |
| # With PR of 2:04:00 or faster | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| # With PR Under 2:05 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 2* |
| # With PR Under 2:06 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 4* |
| # With PR Under 2:10 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 20* |
*Two more names more appear the Dubai start list but both Tsegaye Kebede (2:04:38 pb) and Ayele Abshero (2:04:23 pb) are injured and not racing.
Women
| 2016 London | 2016 Boston |
2016 Tokyo | 2016 Dubai | |
| # Racers With PR Under 2:20 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| # Racers With PR Under 2:21 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| # Racers With PR Under 2:22 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| # Racers With PR Under 2:23 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 4 |
The IAAF has an article out on the 2016 Tokyo field here. The race will serve as one of the Olympic qualifying races for the Japanese men, which explains why so many Japanese men are in the field.