Tokyo Marathon 2020 promises to be an exciting event, with Ethiopian star Birhanu Legese set to defend his title and attempt to break the sub-2:03 record in Japan. The 25-year-old won last year's race in 2:04:48 and followed that up with a huge new personal best at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in September, running an impressive 2:02:48.

Legese's performance in Berlin was remarkable, considering he was overtaken late on by the brilliant Kenenisa Bekele. However, it showed him that he is capable of a faster time than his finish in Germany with a more evenly-paced effort. This experience will be crucial as he returns to Tokyo in a few weeks' time.

Tokyo Marathon Director Tad Hayano's Expectations

According to Tokyo race director Tad Hayano, Legese will lead the pack and bring the record time under 2:03, marking the fastest record achieved within Japan. Hayano has deployed a sub-2:03 pace group to aid Legese's efforts, and he will be up against four other men with sub-2:05 personal bests.

Women's Field

In the women's field, defending champion Ruti Aga will be joined by her fellow Ethiopian Birhane Dibaba, who has two Tokyo titles (2014 and 2018) to her name. Three other female athletes boast personal bests under the 2:19 barrier. The strongest Kenyan challenge is expected to come from Valary Aiyabei, who won the 2019 Frankfurt Marathon and has also topped the podium in Barcelona, Valencia, Prague, and Beijing.

Home-Grown Contest for Final Olympic Place

There's a battle brewing among homegrown athletes in Tokyo that could be every bit as thrilling as the race for first place. The final slot for the Japanese Olympic men's marathon team is up for grabs. To secure the last ticket for Tokyo 2020, someone has to beat the time of 2:05:49 set by the Japan Association of Athletics Federation.

Rivalry Between Suguru Osako and Yuta Shitara

In this battle for the final Olympic spot, Suguru Osako will be toeing the start line alongside fierce rival Yuta Shitara. This rivalry has been ongoing since college, and we can expect both athletes to race at a fast pace from early on.

Tokyo Marathon 2020 Results

Here are the results from today's Tokyo Marathon 2020:

• Elite Wheelchair – Men: Tomoki Suzuki (JPN) – 1:21:52
• Elite Wheelchair – Women: Tsubasa Kina (JPN) – 1:40:00
• Marathon Elite – Men: Birhanu Legese (ETH) – 2:04:15, Suguru Osako (JPN) – 2:05:29 (NNR)
• Marathon Elite – Women: Lonah Chemtai Salpeter (ISR) – 2:17:45

Overall, this year's Tokyo Marathon promises to be a barn burner, with top-class athletes vying for the top spot.