Tigst Assefa narrowly missed the marathon world record in Berlin
Despite cramps in the last few meters, Tigst Assefa runs the course record in Berlin and the third fastest time in history.
Quick Look
- Tigst Assefa narrowly missed the marathon world record in Berlin due to cramps in the last kilometer.
- The Ethiopian still ran the course record in 2:11:04 hours.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Tigst Assefa ran a world record of 2:11:53 hours three years ago, before Ruth Chepngetich improved this to 2:09:56 hours in Chicago.
After injury problems in the last few meters, Tigst Assefa narrowly missed the world record at the marathon in Berlin.
The Ethiopian suddenly had cramps in the last kilometer but still ran the course record in 2:11:04 hours and the third fastest time in history. However, she missed the world record set by Ruth Chepngetich, who crossed the finish line in Chicago in 2024 after 2:09:56 hours. The Kenyan is currently banned due to a positive doping test.
Three years ago, Assefa ran a world record of 2:11:53 hours. Then Chepngetich set a new record. “I am very well prepared and want to beat my best time,” Assefa said before the run. She wanted to set a new world record in Berlin.
In almost optimal conditions in the capital, Assefa ran along the track, driven by several pacemakers and tens of thousands of fans. However, the Olympic silver medalist in Paris and World Cup silver medalist in Tokyo started the race a little slower than Chepngetich when she set her world record in Chicago. But Assefa kept the pace consistently high in the second half of the marathon.
Open Questions
- How will Assefa recover from the cramps?
