Injury prevents Assefa from breaking world record in Berlin, tell me about this news in (https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/videos/c317jke5qqx2o)
27-09-2026
At the Berlin Marathon, Ethiopian distance runner Tigst Assefa won the women’s race in 2:11:04, but a late injury dramatically denied her a new world record.
Key details of what happened:
World-Record Pace: Assefa ran aggressively from the start, pulling well clear of the rest of the field early on. Through 35 km and up to the 40 km mark, she remained around 10 seconds ahead of the split needed to break Ruth Chepngetich’s world record of 2:09:56.
Late Agony: With roughly two kilometers left, Assefa suffered a physical setbackreported by race officials as a suspected tendon injury. Her fluid running stride deteriorated into a visible limp.
Limping Across the Line: Despite being in obvious pain and running the final 2.195 km significantly slower than her previous 15-minute 5K splits, she gritted through to the finish under the Brandenburg Gate.
Results and Records: Because of the time lost over those final two kilometers, she missed the world record by 68 seconds. However, her winning time of 2:11:04 still broke her own previous course record (2:11:53 from 2023) by 49 seconds, marking her third Berlin Marathon title and the third-fastest women’s marathon time in history.
Aftermath: Right after crossing the line, Assefa was treated in the medical tent and transported to a hospital for further examination, causing her to miss the post-race awards ceremony and press conference.