Assefa breaks Kosgei's world record to defend Berlin Marathon title
Ethiopia's Tigist Assefa celebrates with her national flag after smashing the women's marathon world record by crossing the finish line to win the women's race of the Berlin Marathon on September 24, 2023 in Berlin, Germany.
What you need to know:
- Assefa, who was the defending champion, ran a fantastic race to cut Kosgei's previous world record of 2:14:04, set in the 2019 Chicago Marathon, by over two minutes.
- The 26-year-old Ethiopian passed the half-way mark in an impressive 66:20 and by the time she went past the 30km mark in 1:34:12, it was clear that Kosgei's record was going down
- Kenya's Sheila Chepkirui settled second in 2:17:49 while Tanzania's Magdalena Shauri completed the podium in 2:18:41
In Berlin
Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa Sunday smashed Brigid's Kosgei's world record after winning the Berlin Marathon in an astonishing two hours, 11 minutes and 53 seconds.
Assefa, who was the defending champion, ran a fantastic race to cut Kosgei's previous world record of 2:14:04, set in the 2019 Chicago Marathon, by over two minutes. Kenya's Sheila Chepkirui settled second in 2:17:49 while Tanzania's Magdalena Shauri completed the podium in 2:18:41.
Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa passes a water station at the 22km mark as she takes part in the women's race of the Berlin Marathon on September 24, 2023 in Berlin, Germany.
The 26-year-old Ethiopian passed the half-way mark in an impressive 66:20 and by the time she went past the 30km mark in 1:34:12, it was clear that Kosgei's record was going down.
A remarkable 65:33 in the second half of the race saw Assefa claim the world record in what was only her third marathon race.
She made her marathon debut at the inaugural Riyadh Marathon in Saudi Arabia, finishing seventh in a time of 2:34:01 in March last year.
Ethiopia's Tigist Assefa celebrates next to a board displaying her record winning time after she placed first in the women's race of the Berlin Marathon on September 24, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. Assefa smashed the women's marathon world record in Berlin, winning in 2hr 11min 53sec, more than two minutes ahead of the previous mark.
She then registered for Berlin Marathon in September and stunned a rich field to win in 2:15:37, the third-fastest women's mark ever at the time, slower only than Kosgei's then world record of 2:14:04 and 2:15:25 of former record holder Paula Radcliffe.
Inevitably, she was one of the favourites to win this year's race in Berlin but has once again shocked the world with her record-breaking exploits for the first sub 2:12 women's marathon in history.
