The previous record was held by the Kenyan Brigid Kosgei. In 2019, she ran to the finish line in 2.14.04 at the Chicago marathon. Now that record has been broken.
Assefa stood for a very strong effort in Berlin already last year. She won the women’s class and set a new personal best and course record in the time 2.15.37. A race that was then the third fastest in history.
But this year she outdid herself.
Even in the men’s class, it was last year’s winner who won. Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, who broke the world record in Berlin last year, ran to the finish line in 2.02.42.
For Kipchoge, the win was also historic.
He now has five victories in the competition, which is more than any other runner. With the victory, he passed Ethiopian icon Haile Gebrselassie who won the competition four years in a row from 2006 to 2009.