Assefa Just Misses Women's World Record at Berlin Marathon
Adola won in 2:02:51, while Assefa faded after passing 40K on world-record pace and still finished in 2:11:04.
- On Sunday, September 27, 2026, Ethiopian runners Guye Adola and Tigst Assefa won the 52nd Berlin Marathon, with Adola finishing the men's race in an unofficial 2:02:50 and Assefa claiming the women's title in 2:11:04.
- Organizers brought start times forward on Sunday to mitigate high temperatures that affected last year's marathon, allowing competitors to race in ideal autumn sunshine with little wind.
- Following world record holder Sabastian Sawe's withdrawal, Adola triumphed in a competitive men's field, carving out a nine-second lead before the final 7km. The 35-year-old secured his second victory in the German capital after his 2021 win.
- Assefa dominated the women's race, clinching her third Berlin title by more than five minutes. The 29-year-old was on pace to break the world record before suffering a late leg injury near the Brandenburg Gate.
- More than 56,000 people were expected to participate in the major circuit event, underscoring the Berlin Marathon's status as a premier destination for elite international distance runners despite record-breaking attempts falling short in 2026.
42 Articles
42 Articles
Tigst Assefa is on a world record course at the Berlin Marathon. Then the Ethiopian gets cramps – and still suffers to the track record. Her compatriot Guye Adola wins with the men.
Assefa just misses women's world record at Berlin Marathon
Assefa was on track to break the record and accelerated in the final 10 kilometres, but faded in the closing stages, visibly limping across the finish line before collapsing on the road. She finished in a time of 2hr 11min 04min, the third best in history and breaking her personal best and course record of 2:11:53, set in 2023. Assefa's late fade means the women's world record of 2:09:56 remains in the possession of Ruth Chepngetich, a mark cl…
Ethiopia's Assefa suffers late cramps to miss out on world record in Berlin
Santa Maria Times
Independent EspañolBERLIN (AP) — Ethiopian runner Guye Adola won the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, while his compatriot Tigst Assefa's attempt to beat the women's world record ended in tears after an injury in the last few kilometres.
What a drama at the Berlin Marathon! The Ethiopian Tigst Assefa (29) wins, but misses the world record extremely dramatically.
Close to the world record, world champion 2025 Tigist Assefa won her third Berlin marathon this Sunday. Second victory for her compatriot Guye Adola in the German capital.
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