Njenga beats freeze to win new-look Tokyo Marathon

Kenyan Daniel Njenga won the new-look Tokyo Marathon in freezing rain yesterday to record his second victory in the Japanese capital in three years.

The 30-year-old made light of bone-chilling conditions to post a winning time of two hours nine minutes 45 seconds in the men's race.

Favourite Sammy Korir, the second fastest marathon runner in history, pulled up with an injury midway through the 42.195 kms race, allowing fellow Kenyan Njenga to surge clear.

Tokyo's normally crowded streets were blocked off to vehicles as 30,000 top athletes and amateurs pounded along a new course the city hopes to use if chosen to host the 2016 Olympics.

Unlike the previous Tokyo marathons which were restricted to elite athletes, this year's edition followed the models of New York and London by opening the field to amateurs and fun runners.

"It was quite smooth after 25 kms," said Njenga, who won the 2004 Tokyo International Marathon.

"It was freezing cold and so I knew it would be a slow race. I'm happy just to win it."

With Tokyo looking to showcase itself as part of its 2016 Olympic bid, the marathon began in the Shinjuku business district and snaked past several of the city's main tourist sites.

The runners skirted the Imperial Palace's moat, past the temples of Asakusa and even took in the the upmarket stores of Ginza's famous shopping area along the route.

Only the weather refused to cooperate with freezing rain falling relentlessly from a slate grey sky from the start.

Emerging talent Hitomi Niiya won the woman's race on her marathon debut, the 18-year-old clocking 2:31.01 in the first dual-sex Tokyo marathon.