Tigist Assefa seizes the world record, Eliud Kipchoge crowned for the 5th time

3 mins

Ethiopia certainly has its new phenomenon. Tigist Assefa, only 26 years old, etched her name forever in the history of athletics by shattering the women’s world record by more than two minutes on September 24 during the Berlin Marathon. With a time of 2h11:53, she greatly improved the previous record of 2h14:04 set by Kenyan Brigid Kosgei in Chicago in 2019, an progression of more than two minutes which has not been seen since 1983.

With this performance, she also became the first athlete to go under 2h12, while she has so far only completed three races over 42.195 km with her first attempt in Riyadh in March 2022 in 2h34:01 then his first Berlin race the following September in 2h15:37, already at the time the third best time in history.

Arriving in the world of athletics by first specializing in the 800 meters, with a personal best of 1:59.24 achieved in July 2014 in Lausanne, Assefa then moved to road races in 2018, first on 10 km, then half marathon and finally marathon in 2022.

“ Last year’s race was an unexpected success for me. I think I can run even faster on Sunday », she warned two days before the race. She didn’t think she was saying it so well: with this supersonic performance, Assefa now places herself as one of the big favorites for Olympic gold at the Paris Games next summer.

Kipchoge first five-time winner in Berlin

The Berlin race was more mixed for the men’s marathon legend, the Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge. However, he signed a historic 5th victory in the German capital, but did not manage to beat his world record of 2h01:09 set in September 2022 on the same course. This shows the standards to which he has accustomed the discipline.

With a time of 2h02:42 achieved on September 24, he ran the eighth fastest marathon in history, while he already holds five of the eight best times of all time over 42.195 km. For around fifteen kilometers, he nevertheless kept the passing times under two hours before reducing his pace. “ Of course, I was hoping to set a new world record, but I can live with the fact that it didn’t work out “, he admitted after the race.

But the main objective is elsewhere for Kipchoge: he is above all aiming for the Olympic hat-trick during the Paris Games, after having already been crowned twice in Rio in 2016 then in Tokyo 2020. He would then overtake the Ethiopian Abebe Bikila, also a double Olympic marathon champion.

A record that he will have to snatch in the middle of fierce competition, notably embodied by his compatriot Kelvin Kiptum, 23 years old, who came within 16 seconds of Kipchoge’s world record in London last April. A rivalry which therefore promises fierce duels during the next races, and which could culminate next summer in the French capital.