ETHIOPIAN ATHLETES ENDESHAW Negesse and Berhane Dibaba took the honours at the Tokyo Marathon amid huge security concerns as ‘running police’ were deployed in fear of terrorist threats.
According to local media, more than 10,000 security officials were involved in ensuring the race went off peacefully as Tokyo remains on high-alert after the slaying of two Japanese hostages by the Islamic State group last month.
Over 60 of the officers ran alongside the runners, wearing white vests bearing the word “Police.” Each member ran about 10 kilometres while carrying anti-terrorism equipment in small backpacks.
Islamist militants threatened Japanese people everywhere after the killings while authorities have also heightened security at large-scale events after the Boston Marathon was the target of a terrorist attack that killed three people in 2013.
The event, which is the first of the six major Marathons, saw 36,000 competitors run through the Japanese capital as Negesse won the men’s race in a time of 2 hours and 6 minutes.
In the women’s event, Dibaba crossed the line in 2 hours and 23 minutes.
Additional reporting by - © AFP, 2015
