Ethiopian marathoner Tigist Assefa stopped short of a world‑record pace after a right‑calf injury forced her to limp for the final kilometres of the Berlin Marathon.
What happened
Assefa, 29, was on world‑record speed through 40 km, on track for a sub‑2:10 finish that would have eclipsed the 2:09:56 mark set by Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich, a time still listed despite Chepngetich’s later doping suspension. She passed the halfway point in 1:04:57 and reached 30 km in 2:09:45, 35 km in 1:47:32 and 40 km in 2:03:00. At the 40‑km mark she had about seven minutes left to break the record.
Analysis
The injury, described as more than a calf cramp, caused a painful limp on her Adidas shoes. It began on the long straight of Unter den Linden and continued for over eight kilometres as she struggled toward the Brandenburg Gate. Despite the setback she completed the race in 2:11:04, the third‑fastest time in history. The performance underscores the thin margin between record attempts and physical limits, and highlights the role of race‑day conditions – temperatures rose from 14 °C at the start to 18 °C under sunny skies.
Outlook
Assefa, who won Berlin three times, will likely undergo medical evaluation before targeting another record attempt. Observers will watch her recovery and any adjustments to training or race strategy ahead of next year’s major marathons, where she remains a leading contender.