Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa won the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, September 27, in 2 hours, 11 minutes and 4 seconds, the third-fastest women's marathon time in history. She had been on course to challenge the world record before slowing sharply near the finish. Her compatriot Guye Adola won the men's race in 2:02:50, giving Ethiopia both elite titles, according to World Athletics.
Assefa returned to the German capital where she set a then-world record of 2:11:53 in 2023. Ruth Chepngetich lowered that mark to 2:09:56 in Chicago in 2024. The Berlin race was Assefa's third victory there, following wins in 2022 and 2023, World Athletics reported.
World Athletics said Assefa passed 40 kilometres in 2:03:00, a pace that still put the record within reach. Shortly afterward she began limping and her pace fell. The Associated Press reported that she suffered cramps and briefly stopped before the Brandenburg Gate. She nevertheless held a large lead and crossed the line in a new course record.
The winning time improved Assefa's previous Berlin mark by 49 seconds. Ethiopian Bedatu Hirpa finished second in 2:16:53, just two seconds ahead of Dera Dida, according to World Athletics. AP reported that Ethiopian runners occupied the first five places in the women's race.
In the men's contest, Adola recorded a personal best and secured his second Berlin title, five years after his 2021 victory. AP listed fellow Ethiopian Gemechu Dida Diriba second in 2:03:19 and Tanzania's Gabriel Geay third in 2:03:59. Defending champion and world-record holder Sabastian Sawe missed the race because of injury, as the organizers had announced in August.
Assefa's late slowdown denied her a new world record, but the result strengthened her place among the fastest marathon runners ever and renewed Berlin's course record. The performances will enter the season's results as runners and organizers turn to the remaining major road races of 2026.
Comments