Ibrahim Hassan made history at the Osaka Marathon, blasting to victory in a course-record 2:05:20 after a late surge edged defending champion Yihunilign Adane by just 13 seconds, with Ezra Kipketer Tanui third and Mare Dibaba winning the women’s race.
Ibrahim Hassan of Djibouti delivered a record-breaking performance to win the Osaka Marathon on Sunday, surging to victory in 2 hours, 5 minutes and 20 seconds.
Hassan’s time set a new course record and secured a narrow but decisive win over defending champion Yihunilign Adane of Ethiopia, who finished just 13 seconds behind.
Kenya’s Ezra Kipketer Tanui completed the podium in 2:05:55, keeping the pressure on through the final kilometers but unable to close the gap at the front.
The race unfolded at an aggressive pace from early on, with the lead pack stretching the field before the decisive move in the closing stages. Hassan’s finishing surge proved the difference, as he held firm in the final stretch to seal the biggest marathon victory of his career.
Among the Japanese contenders, Kiyoto Hirabayashi, the 2024 champion, was the top domestic finisher in fifth place with a time of 2:06:14.
Ichitaka Yamashita followed closely in sixth, crossing the line four seconds later and reinforcing Japan’s depth in the men’s field.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba claimed the title in 2:21:44. Kaede Kawamura was the leading Japanese woman, placing sixth in 2:25:55.
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