Tokyo witnessed an electrifying display of speed and endurance as 125 elite athletes took to the streets for the ASICS Tokyo : Speed : Race 2025. Equipped with the latest METASPEED™ Tokyo Series racing shoes, runners pushed their limits in what became a historic event for global road racing.
The event, certified by World Athletics, saw a wave of record-breaking moments: three Area Records, ten National Records, and forty-eight Personal Bests were set across the 5km and 10km races.
In the 5km race, Italy’s Nadia Battocletti made headlines by breaking both the European and Italian National Recordswith a time of 14:32. Kenya’s Caroline Nyaga clocked 14:19, smashing her personal best to finish as the fastest woman, while Uganda’s Harbert Kibet claimed the men’s title with an outstanding 13:00.
The 10km race continued the record-breaking streak. Australia celebrated a double victory: Isobel Batt-Doyle finished in 30:44, setting both a National and Area Record, and Sam Clifford followed with a new Australian National Record at 27:34. Simbassa Abbabiya of the United States secured a new American Record with 27:32. Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyektriumphed in the women’s 10km at 30:22, while Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer claimed the men’s title in 27:10.
Malaysian Athletes on the Global Stage
Among the international elite were two standout athletes representing Malaysia — Vimal Govendarajoo and Allison Yee, both part of the ASICS Malaysia contingent.
Vimal, 30, one of the country’s top long-distance runners from Matang, Taiping, clocked 32:40 in the Elite Men’s 10kmcategory. His participation marked yet another milestone in Malaysia’s growing presence in international distance running.
Meanwhile, Allison Yee, ASICS Malaysia Brand Ambassador, made an impressive debut in the General 5km category. Finishing with a new personal best of 20:09, she secured third place and demonstrated Malaysia’s potential in the global running scene.
Their performances reflect the rising prominence of Malaysian athletes on the world stage and continue to inspire a new generation of runners back home.
The Science of Speed
Every personal best at the Tokyo : Speed : Race 2025 was achieved with the help of the latest innovations from ASICS — the METASPEED™ Tokyo Series, including the METASPEED™ RAY, METASPEED™ SKY TOKYO, and METASPEED™ EDGE TOKYO. Developed by the ASICS Institute of Sport Science and refined through extensive testing involving over 100 elite athletes and third-party experts, these shoes are tailored to support different running styles while maximising performance and comfort.
Since the debut of the original METASPEED™ SKY and EDGE in 2021, ASICS has continued to refine each model to meet the evolving needs of competitive runners.
From the Organisers
Jon Ridgeon, CEO of World Athletics, shared:
“The Tokyo : Speed : Race was an exciting event where athletes of all levels came together to push their speed limits. Our ongoing partnership with ASICS has once again created an event that highlights the power of running and the shared commitment to growing the sport. Looking ahead to the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, the momentum from this event will help build even more excitement and anticipation for what’s sure to be a monumental year in Tokyo.”
Olivier Mignon, Director of Sports Marketing at ASICS, added:
“The Tokyo : Speed : Race was a true celebration of what speed can unlock—not just in performance, but in confidence. From elite records to personal breakthroughs, the event truly embodied the spirit of ‘Feel Speed, Find Confidence.’ We are proud of every runner who made this a memorable and uplifting celebration of what running can achieve.”
Full race results are available online. To watch the race highlights, visit asics.tv/tokyo or catch the official replay on the World Athletics YouTube channel.
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