Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa smashes women’s marathon world record in Berlin
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Tigist Assefa clocked an official time of two hours 11 minutes and 53 seconds.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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BERLIN – Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa shattered the women’s world record at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, lopping off more than two minutes from the previous best to clock an official time of 2hr 11min 53sec.
Assefa, who had set a course record with a personal best in 2022, set a blistering early pace, gradually shaking off any competition to pulverise Kenyan Brigid Kosgei’s 2019 record of 2:14:04.
Remarkably, her splits were faster after the halfway mark.
“I knew I wanted to go for the world record but I never thought I would do this time,” said the 26-year-old, a former 800m runner. “It was the result of hard work.”
Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya came second, almost six minutes behind in 2:17:49, with Tanzania’s Magdalena Shauri finishing third (2:18:41).
With her time, Assefa set a marker for 2024’s Paris Olympics while also almost certainly nailing down a spot on the Ethiopian Olympic team.
“I have set a mark now,” she said. “The decision does not lie with me but with officials.
“It is up to the National Committee to select me for the team.”
Her remarkable victory overshadowed men’s world record holder Eliud Kipchoge’s milestone fifth victory on Berlin’s quick and flat inner-city course.
The 38-year-old Kenyan, who is aiming to win his third Olympic marathon medal in Paris 2024,
Kipchoge’s fifth win takes him past Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie’s four victories.
“I always learn from every race and every victory,” Kipchoge said. “I’m very happy to win for the fifth time in Berlin and I shall use these lessons in my preparation for the Olympics...
“Sure, I expected myself to be able to set a world record again, but I can live with the fact that it didn’t work out.
“You can’t do that every day. I hope I can repeat my victory again at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, but I would also be happy with the podium.”
Eliud Kipchoge’s fifth win takes him past Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie’s four victories.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Compatriot Vincent Kipkemoi was second in 2:03:13 and Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele third in 2:03:24.
Two minutes before the marathon began, police were called into action, dragging climate protesters carrying buckets of orange paint from the track within sight of the runners standing on the starting blocks.
Police dragging climate protesters from the track before the marathon began.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Berlin mayor Kai Wegner started the race by pressing a red buzzer, with the organisers feeling the traditional starting pistol was inappropriate in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Assefa, who started running marathons only in April 2022, made her intentions clear from the start with a lightning-quick pace.
She clocked 1:06:20 at the halfway mark and was one of six women to be on world-record time at that stage, as the Berlin Marathon lived up to its reputation as one of the world’s fastest.
At the 37km mark, she was just three seconds per kilometre slower than Kipchoge’s time at the same stage as she cruised to a sensational world record. REUTERS, AFP
