Karoki seeks redemption in familiar streets of Tokyo

His star in road running was on the rise before a hip joint injury put him down.

He warmed up to the big stage with a silver medal in 10,000 metres at the 2011 Maputo African Games before finishing second at the 2015 World Cross Country Championships and 2016 World Half Marathon Championships.

After a breathtaking performance in seven half marathon races that included victory at Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates in a personal best of 59 minutes and 10 seconds in 2017, he shifted gears to the full marathon.

Beyond anybody’s expectations, Bedan Karoki settled third on his marathon debut at the 2017 London in a personal best of 2:07:41, losing the battle to fellow countryman Daniel Wanjiru (2:05:48) and Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele (2:05:57).

He settled fourth at the Fukuoka Marathon, Japan, the same year in 2:08:44.

He returned to London in 2018 to secure fifth place in  2:08:34 as Eliud Kipchoge reigned supreme in 2:04:17 before tackling his second World Marathon Majors race in Chicago, where he finished ninth in 2:07:59.

The year 2019 was superb for Karoki, where he finished the Tokyo Marathon second in personal best 2:06:48, losing to Ethiopia’s Birhanu Legese in 2:04:48 before improving his career best to 2:05:53 with a fourth-place finish in Chicago.

Lawrence Cherono won the race in 2:05:45.

Karoki then ran his second-best time of 2:06:15 for a fifth-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Marathon as Legese retained his title in 2:04:15.

Karoki would sustain a hip injury that would keep him away from intense training.

He ran only two 5,000m races in early 2021 at his base in Japan before the injury worsened but resumed training in late 2022 to finish fourth at the South American Half Marathon in 1:00:55 last August.

However, Karoki is regaining his groove from August last year when he finished fourth in the Buenos Aires Half Marathon in 59:37 before settling third at the Tokyo Half Marathon in October in 1:01:02.

Karoki is now in the rich field of athletes at this year’s Tokyo Marathon on Sunday in the Japanese capital. 

“I thought I was stronger but nothing prepares athletes for an injury that will keep them away for long,” says Karoki. “It was stressful since 2020 as the hip injury kept on recurring the moment I pushed hard in training.”

Karoki’s kitting company, Nike, also withdrew their sponsorship, forcing the athlete to rely on his employer, Toyota, in Japan. “Toyota and my management Rosa Associati have been there for me, they never gave up on me,” says Karoki.

Karoki is now targeting to run a sub-two hours and five minutes race in Tokyo and improve his personal best of 2:05:53.

“I know I face a rich field but this isn’t the first time. One really can’t predict what will happen in a marathon. It all depends on how one wakes up on that day,” explains Karoki, adding that fast times could go down depending on the weather.

Kipchoge holds the Tokyo Marathon course record of 2:02:40, set with victory in 2022, and it will be his first marathon since winning in Berlin in 2:02:42 last year.

Whether Kipchoge will recapture his marathon world record is left to be known. 

The late Kelvin Kitum broke Kipchoge’s world record of 2:01:09 when he won the Chicago Marathon in 2:00:35 on October 8, last year.

It will be a great rematch between Kipchoge and Vincent Kipkemoi, who finished second in the Berlin Marathon last year, 31 seconds off the pace. Kipchoge won in 2:032:42 as Kipkemboi clocked 2:03:13. 

Benson Kipruto, who is also in contention, is a man who hardly misses the podium in the marathon, having finished second behind Kiptum in Chicago in a personal best of 2:04:02. The Kapsabet-based athlete will be aiming to improve on his personal best.

Men's field 

1. Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) - 2:01:09 (Berlin 2022)

2. Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich (Kenya) - 2:03:13 (Berlin 2023)

3. Timothy Kiplagat (Kenya) - 2:03:50 (Rotterdam 2023)

4. Benson Kipruto (Kenya) - 2:04:02 (Chicago 2023)

101. Bethwel Kibet (Kenya) - 2:04:37 (Amsterdam 2023)

5. Hailemaryam Kiros (Ethiopia) - 2:04:41 (Paris 2021)

6. Andualem Belay (Ethiopia) - 2:04:44 (Berlin 2023)

7. Tsegaye Getachew (Ethiopia) - 2:04:49 (Amsterdam 2022)

8. Chalu Deso (Ethiopia) - 2:04:56 (Valencia 2022)

9. Kengo Suzuki (Japan) - 2:04:56 (Lake Biwa 2021)

10. Bazezew Asmare (Ethiopia) - 2:04:57 (Amsterdam 2022)

11. Victor Kiplangat (Uganda) - 2:05:09 (Hamburg 2022)

12. Bedan Karoki (Kenya) 2:05:53 (Chicago 2019)