Some bold predictions at the Tokyo Marathon press conference Friday

After stepping up to the big leagues last year with course records in the 2:03 and 2:19 range, the Tokyo Marathon hopes to go one better this year. Men's course record setter Wilson Kipsang (Kenya) is back, stepping up from a 2:03:50 prediction for Tokyo in January to a 2:02:50 world record prediction at Friday's pre-race press conference. The top-ranked woman is Ruti Aga (Ethiopia), coming in hot off a 1:06:39 win last month in Houston and turning heads at the press conference with a boldly mumbled 2:18:00 prediction. Alongside Aga's brash 2:18:00 prediction, Amy Cragg (USA) said she hoped to run 2:22:59 with the caveat that while she'd like to run a fast time her priority would be placing in the top three.

posted Friday February 23rd