Filipino Eduard Flores sets new personal best at ASICS Tokyo Speed Race

Philstar.com

May 6, 2025 | 9:20am

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino runner Eduard Flores eclipsed his own personal record in the men’s 10km category of the Tokyo Speed Race held recently in Japan.

From his previous mark of 31:50, Flores, whose training in the Philippines’ notorious humid conditions paid off, clocked an official time of 31:41 in the race, which was participated in by 125 elite athletes.

The Filipino started strong in his first ever international competition, registering 2:57 in his first 1.3km loop. For the following loops, he kept a steady pace of 4:08-4:10 per 1.3km, then capped things off by sprinting all the way to the end at 2:51 for his final finish.

Meanwhile, another Filipino, Ayn Bernos, took part in the 5km category and finished with a personal best of 33:26.

Harbert Kibet ruled the men’s 5km category with a time of 13:00; Caroline Nyaga 5km women’s (14:19); Jemal Yimer 10km men’s (27:10); and Joy Cheptoyek 10km women’s (30:22).

ASICS said a total of three area records, 10 national records and 48 personal bests were established in World Athletics-certified race held in Japan’s capital city.

The company added that all personal bests were achieved by elite athletes wearing ASICS’ latest METASPEED Tokyo Series, which includes the METASPEED Ray, METASPEED Sky Tokyo and METASPEED Edge Tokyo shoes. In line with the ASICS Design Philosophy, the development process placed great emphasis on understanding how athletes feel and what they truly need. 

The result is the METASPEED Tokyo Series, which the company said is the pinnacle racing shoes created through a rigorous design and testing process led by the ASICS Institute of Sport Science, with the involvement of numerous third-party testers and more than one hundred elite athletes from around the world.  

Since the launch of the original METASPEED Sky and METASPEED Edge shoes in 2021, each model has been carefully crafted to support athletes based on their unique running styles and preferences. 

“The Tokyo Speed Race event was an exciting challenge 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,” said World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon. 

For his part, Olivier Mignon, director of sports marketing at ASICS said: “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,’ highlighted by the standout performances of so many athletes who broke personal, National and Area records. We are proud of every runner who made this a memorable and uplifting celebration of what running can achieve.”  

To see a full recap of ASICS’ elite race, rewatch the live stream asics.tv/tokyo or via https://www.youtube.com/@WorldAthletics.