"The day Tokyo comes together." Tokyo Marathon 2014 held

© Tokyo Marathon Foundation

©Tokyo Marathon Foundation

The Tokyo Marathon 2014 (Organizer: Tokyo Marathon Foundation; Special Sponsor: Tokyo Metro; Sponsors: 26 companies and organizations), now a regular event in the capital city of Tokyo, was held on February 23. Launched in 2007, this year marked the 8th edition of the race. Since last year, it has joined the World Marathon Majors, becoming one of the world's six major marathons alongside Boston and Berlin.

At the start, Yoshiro Mori, Chairman of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee, took the stage and delivered a commemorative speech: "Challenge your potential and run to the very end. I wish you all the best." With the starting gun, approximately 36,000 runners set off. Full marathon participants raced through famous locations like Ginza and Asakusa, aiming for the finish line at Tokyo Big Sight.

Dickson Chumba (Kenya) won the men's race and Tifay Tsegaye (Ethiopia) won the women's race, both setting new course records. The finish rate was 96%, with approximately 1.13 million spectators lining the course (according to organizers). The race was broadcast live on Nippon TV's "Tokyo Metro Sports Special" (9:00 AM to 11:50 AM) and Part 2 (Noon to 4:25 PM).

 

 

The "Tokyo Marathon EXPO 2014" was held at Tokyo Big Sight, the finish line venue, for three days from the 20th to the 22nd, preceding the race. Approximately 100 companies, including sponsors, exhibited booths at the event, offering various runner services such as product promotions, sales of related merchandise, and talk shows. The event was bustling with many visitors. Sponsoring companies also contributed to the event's operation and atmosphere on marathon day by providing and sampling beverages and light meals along the course and at the finish line.