Download our Free 8-Week Plan here →
News

Hassan Breaks Course Record to Win Osaka Marathon, Hirabayashi Leads Japanese Field in Fifth

February 25, 2026
By
Anna F.

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.

Ibrahim Hassan

​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.

You Might Also Like

I Missed One Run and Immediately Thought My Running Season Was Over

Missing one run rarely costs you fitness in any meaningful way. What it does cost (if you let it) is momentum in your head...

Ethan Shuley Runs 2:07 in Osaka, Becomes Sixth-Fastest American Marathoner Ever

Unknown a week ago, Ethan Shuley just ran 2:07:14 at the Osaka Marathon on February 22, finishing 14th and becoming the sixth-fastest U.S. marathoner ever on a record-eligible course despite having no sponsor, no agent, and an unconventional path back to elite running.

17-Year-Old Brody Chisholm Finishes 12th at Cocodona 250, Emerging as a Rising Ultrarunning Talen

At just 17, Brody Chisholm delivered a breakout performance at the 2024 Cocodona 250, placing 12th overall and finishing the brutal 250-mile Arizona traverse in 75:42:42 to become the youngest finisher in race history.

Yann Schrub Breaks European 10K Record with 26:43 in Castellon

Yann Schrub stunned the field at the Facsa Castellon 10K, clocking 26:43 to break the European record. With Andreas Almgren matching his previous mark, four men dipped under 27 minutes as Europe’s road scene lit up.

Ashley Paulson Breaks Women’s World Record at USATF Championships, Runs 12:19:34 for 100 Miles

Ashley Paulson stunned the ultrarunning world at the Jackpot 100 in Henderson, Nevada, clocking 12:19:34 to break the women’s 100-mile world record and cut 17 minutes off the previous mark.

Runner A.J. Swann, 74, Dies After Vehicle Enters Florida Half Marathon Course

A 74-year-old runner, Albert Jernigan “A.J.” Swann of St. Simons Island, Georgia, died after a vehicle entered the Florida Half Marathon course in Melbourne and struck him less than a mile into the race on February 8.