Deaflympics Marathon Runs Along Tokyo Expressways

The Yomiuri Shimbun

2:00 JST, November 26, 2025

More than 40 athletes competed in the marathon at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics on Tuesday, the 11th day of the event.

Both male and female participants ran around a circuit course on a section of the Metropolitan Expressway and the disused road known as the Tokyo Expressway, or KK Route.

The runners made about eight laps of the elevated course, which consisted of about 500 meters between the Shiodome Junction and the Shimbashi Interchange on the Metropolitan Expressway’s Yaesu Route and the 2-kilometer-long KK Route leading to the interchange.

Sweden’s Otto Kingstedt won the men’s marathon with a Deaflympics record of 2 hours 16 minutes 10 seconds. The female winner was Lourdes Ponce Juarez of Mexico, who also set a Deaflympics record: 2:49:30.

There were no traffic restrictions on the course, as the Yaesu Route has been closed for an extended period since April due to underground construction on the Metropolitan Expressway.

Runners staged an exciting race among office buildings in Ginza and other areas.

Held for people with hearing difficulties, the Deaflympics are sponsored by The Yomiuri Shimbun and others.