Tigst Assefa wins Berlin after injury ends record bid

Tigst Assefa’s bid to break the women’s marathon world record ended with a left-leg injury near the finish of the Berlin Marathon. The Ethiopian still won the race, completing it despite beginning to limp at the 40-kilometre mark.

Assefa crossed in 2:11:04, 49 seconds faster than her previous best and the third-fastest time ever recorded by a woman. She had been ahead of the pace required to beat Kenya’s Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56 until the injury disrupted her run.

The 29-year-old’s Berlin victory adds to her wins in the German capital in 2021 and 2022. It also comes after her Olympic silver medal in Paris in 2024 and her second-place finish at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. Her result led an Ethiopian clean sweep of the women’s top five, with Bedatu Hirpa 5:49 behind, Dera Dida 5:51 back, Bekelech Gudeta 7:54 adrift and Alemitu Tariku 7:57 from the winner.

The men’s race also went to Ethiopia, with Guye Adola winning in 2:02:51 ahead of Gemechu Didi Diriba. Tanzania’s Gabriel Gerald Geay finished third. The next World Marathon Major is scheduled for Chicago on October 11.