Tigst Assefa was on world record pace with two kilometres to go at the Berlin Marathon when she began to limp. She still won in 2:11:04, the third-fastest time ever run by a woman, and was later found to have partially torn her Achilles tendon.
For 40 kilometres in Berlin, Tigst Assefa was running faster than any woman in history. Then, within sight of the finish, her race turned into a fight simply to reach the line.
The Ethiopian won the BMW Berlin Marathon on Sunday, September 27, in 2:11:04, the third-fastest women’s time ever recorded, World Athletics reported. The world record stands at 2:09:56.
On Record Pace
Assefa set out alone and never slowed. She passed 10km in 30:48, already more than a minute clear of the defending champion, Rosemary Wanjiru.
She reached halfway in 1:04:57, which World Athletics described as the third-fastest halfway split ever recorded in a women’s marathon. Wanjiru was almost three minutes behind.
The second half was quicker still. Assefa covered the five kilometres between 30km and 35km in 15:17, and at 40km, reached in 2:03:00, she was on course to finish in about 2:09:44.
The Final Two Kilometres
Almost immediately after the 40km mark the picture changed. According to World Athletics, Assefa began running with a pronounced limp and was visibly grimacing as her pace dropped sharply.
It later emerged that she had suffered a partial tear of her Achilles tendon.
Her lead, more than five minutes, gave her time. She made it through the Brandenburg Gate and across the line to win.
Still a Personal Best
Despite the finish, the time was 49 seconds faster than the personal best and course record of 2:11:53 she set when winning in Berlin in 2023.
It was her third Berlin victory, after 2022 and 2023, and her third marathon win in her past four starts.
An Ethiopian Sweep
Ethiopian runners filled the first five places. Bedatu Hirpa was second in 2:16:53, two seconds ahead of Dera Dida.
- Tigst Assefa (Ethiopia) — 2:11:04
- Bedatu Hirpa (Ethiopia) — 2:16:53
- Dera Dida (Ethiopia) — 2:16:55
- Bekelech Gudeta (Ethiopia) — 2:18:58
- Alemitu Tariku (Ethiopia) — 2:19:01
The men’s race was won by Assefa’s training partner, Guye Adola, in 2:02:50, completing an Ethiopian double.
Image: Tigst Assefa (left) at the 2024 London Marathon. Photo by Katie Chan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.