Tigst Assefa was under world record pace before limping through the last mile of the Berlin Marathon, ultimately winning in the third-fastest women’s marathon ever but sustaining an Achilles tear.
European media reported that Assefa underwent surgery for the injury on Monday, citing her manager.
Assefa, a 29-year-old Ethiopian, won in 2 hours, 11 minutes, 4 seconds — behind only Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich’s world record 2:09:56 from Chicago in 2024 and Ethiopian Fotyen Tesfay’s 2:10:51 from Barcelona this past March.
Assefa now owns the third- and fourth-fastest times ever, having previously run 2:11:53 to win Berlin in 2023, which was the world record at the time.
Chepngetich’s record stands even though she was banned for three years after testing positive for a banned diuretic in March 2025 — five months after her world record run — and admitting to doping violations.
On Sunday, Assefa was under world record pace at the 40km mark of the 42.2km marathon, projected to run 2:09:44.
She had a limp in her stride over the last mile, covering the last 2.2 kilometers (1.3 miles) in 8 minutes, 4 seconds, her slowest split of the race by more than 30 seconds per kilometer. Chepngetich split 6:45 over the last 2.2km for her world record.
Guye Adola won the men’s race Sunday in 2:02:50, giving Ethiopia a sweep of the women’s and men’s elite races.
The major marathon season continues with the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 11, streaming live on Peacock.
