Tigst Assefa smashes women’s world record at Berlin Marathon, while Eliud Kipchoge clinches fifth men’s victory but fails to break own record
Berlin, Sep 24, 2023 – Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia has left her mark in the running world by breaking the women’s world record by over two minutes at the Berlin Marathon. On the other hand, Eliud Kipchoge claimed his fifth men’s victory but fell short of breaking his own record.
Assefa, the reigning champion from last year’s Berlin Marathon, crossed the finish line in an impressive time of 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 53 seconds. Her performance surpassed the previous women’s record of 2:14:04 held by Brigid Kotsgei, set at the 2019 Chicago Marathon.
In the men’s race, Kipchoge, a Kenyan long-distance runner, secured his fifth win at the Berlin Marathon. However, despite his dominance, he was unable to break his own world record. Kipchoge finished the marathon in 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 42 seconds, falling short by more than a minute and a half of the record he set in Berlin last year.
It is worth mentioning that Kipchoge achieved a historic feat in 2019 when he became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours. However, this astonishing time of 1:59:40 was not considered an official world record due to the unique conditions of the event. The special race in Vienna allowed pacemakers and had designated refreshment points tailored specifically to Kipchoge’s needs.
Despite the impressive athletic achievements, the Berlin Marathon faced a minor disruption from a German environmental group called Last Generation. Prior to the start of the race, police and security personnel effectively prevented a group of individuals from obstructing the route. Nevertheless, orange paint was splattered across the road, presumably as an act of protest.
The Berlin Marathon has always been revered as one of the iconic races in the running calendar, attracting top athletes from around the globe. Assefa and Kipchoge’s performances only solidify its status and continue to inspire runners worldwide.