Ethiopia’s Assefa breaking the women’s marathon world record in Berlin

Assefa’s Historic Triumph: Smashing the Women’s Marathon World Record in Berlin

Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia broke the women’s marathon world record in Berlin on Sunday, finishing in 2hr 11min 53sec, more than two minutes faster than the previous record.

Assefa, 29, broke Kenyan Brigid Kosgei’s record of 2hr 14min 04sec set in Chicago in 2019.

Assefa crossed the finish line just after Kenyan men’s world record holder Eliud Kipchoge won his sixth Berlin marathon in a row.

She finished nearly six minutes ahead of Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui (+5:56), with Tanzania’s Magdalena Shauri coming in third (+6:48).

Assefa broke away early in excellent circumstances in Berlin and went on to establish the world record, becoming the first woman to do so since Japan’s Naoko Takahashi in 2001.