Ethiopian Birhanu Legese wins Tokyo Marathon, Japan's Horio finishes 5th

Ethiopia's Birhanu Legese won the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday clocking 2 hours, 4 minutes and 48 seconds in the cold rain while Kensuke Horio led the runners from the host country, finishing fifth.

Horio, a fourth-year university student, crossed the finishing line in a preliminary time of 2:10:21 and claimed a berth for September's Marathon Grand Championship, a qualifying event for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

(Birhanu Legese)

"I can't believe this. It's too good to be true," said Horio, who became the first student to earn a spot in the MGC.

"My glasses fogged up and I couldn't see well when I ran, so I was afraid the runners behind me were catching up to me."

Masato Imai finished nine seconds behind Horio for sixth, followed by Takuya Fujikawa and Daichi Kamino. The three Japanese also met the requirements needed to qualify for the MGC.

Suguru Osako retired around the 29-kilometer mark in his Tokyo Marathon debut. The 27-year-old long-distance runner was considered a local favorite after setting a national record when he finished third in the Chicago Marathon last October.

"I was cold since the starting line. My body wouldn't move, so I had no choice but to retire," said Osako, who was unable to cross the finishing line for the first time in four marathons.

The completion rate for this year's race, run in temperatures of around 5 C, was the second lowest in Tokyo Marathon history at 94.3 percent, just 0.2 percent higher than the 2010 edition held in similar conditions.

Ethiopia's Ruti Aga won the women's title for the second straight year, finishing in 2:20:40. Mao Ichiyama, who was competing in her first marathon, clocked the fastest time for Japan at 2:24:33 in seventh place. The 21-year-old missed a berth for the MGC by 33 seconds.

The winner of the MGC, which will take place on Sept. 15 in Tokyo, will automatically book a ticket to the 2020 Games. A total of 28 men have qualified, while the women's field is limited to nine runners.

(Kensuke Horio)