In the BMW Berlin Marathon last year, Tigist Assefa broke the women’s world marathon record with an amazing time of 2:11:53. This record has now been officially ratified by World Athletics. Assefa’s impressive performance exceeded the previous record by over two minutes, making her the first woman to run a marathon in under 2:13 and 2:12. She surpassed the previous record of 2:14:04 set by Brigid Kosgei in Chicago on 13 October 2019.
During her record-breaking run, Assefa ran alongside a large pack of leading contenders through the early stages. By the time they reached 10km in 31:45, 13 women were still in the lead group. However, Assefa and her compatriot Workenesh Edesa managed to pull away by 15km, which they reached in 47:26. Shortly after, Assefa took the lead and reached the halfway point in 1:06:20, well ahead of world record pace.
Maintaining her composure, Assefa covered the 25-35km section in an impressive 31:02. With the world record within reach, she picked up her pace in the final kilometers and crossed the finish line in 2:11:53. Reflecting on her achievement, Assefa expressed hope that her performance would inspire young female athletes in Ethiopia and boost the country’s confidence leading up to the Paris Olympics.
Assefa’s incredible talent and determination have earned her a place in marathon history as the new world record holder. Her feat is a testament to hard work and dedication that inspires many athletes around
