BERLIN, GERMANY, September 27 — For 2 hours Tigst Assefa sped about Berlin’s famed marathon loop at World Record pace, only to have sport turn into Shakespearean tragedy. The Ethiopian superstar succumbed to a severe Achilles injury in the final 1800 meters as she courageously limped and hopped home to cross in 2:11:04 — the third-fastest performance in history.
Assefa’s misfortune came amid a tour-de-force performance by Ethiopian marathoners who claimed 6 of the top 7 women’s placings, and 7 of the top 8 men. Bedatu Hirpa (2:16:53) and Dera Dida (2:16:55), filled out the women’s podium.
Excellent running on all accounts, yet this Berlin Marathon will be remembered for Assefa’s race that played out in three acts: attacking the World Record, sudden serious injury, and heroic effort to finish. The full drama was like nothing the assembled marathon aficionados had ever witnessed.
The 29-tear-old Assefa was a bit reserved at the pre-race presser admitting, “I don’t know what will happen on Sunday, I’ve prepared very well, what I’m aiming for is to improve my best performance and not let up.”
Yet everything from her career-best training under coach Gemedu Dedefo and more pointed to a serious attempt to better Ruth Chepngetich’s rather dubious 2:09:56 WR run 2 years ago in Chicago.
Berlin had moved up the start by 30 minutes and switched the men’s and women’s starting positions. Maurten’s fueling program and adidas’ new shoes and one-piece racing kit all signaled resolute determination.
The opening 5K was covered in 15:30 before the tempo settled into a rather steady 3:03–3:05 clip to pass 10K in 30:47 and halfway in 64:57.
Assefa held pace on the slight uphill climb to reach 28K in 1:26:12 (2:09:54 pace) then sped up a bit on the downhill crossing 30K in 1:32:15 dropping down to 2:09:45 pace.
Running amid a cluster of pacers and sub-elite men, Assefa seemed to be racing within herself, both in terms of pace and disposition. She clipped along with eyes looking down in a treadmill-like stride.
Running smoothly save a missed fuel grab, Assefa kept up a steady rhythm of 3:01–3:05 Ks to reach 37K in 1:55:39. She dropped to a 2:09:36 schedule and a 20-second cushion heading into the final 5K. A bit of fatigue began to show both in her stride and a pair of 3:07 Ks leading into her 40K split of 2:03:00.
This opening 40 kilometers by itself is the best woman’s long distance run ever as Assefa strung together 10K segments of 30:47, 30:47, 30:40 and 30:45. With a projected pace of 2:09:45, Assefa appeared in good position to regain the WR she first claimed running 2:11:53 in 2023.
Then her right Achilles gave out.
Assefa’s smooth stride became a limp that grew more pronounced as she passed 41K in 2:06:21 — a 3:21 K that put her on 2:10:02 pace. Forget the record that had slipped away, Assefa now was fighting just to finish.
Despite this being a finishing effort unlike anything we had ever seen, it was hard to watch Assefa in obvious pain limping and hopping her way to the Brandenburg Gate.
Before the race, Tigst explained her passion for fearless racing saying, “I’m a hard-working person and I always try, with everything I tackle, to start with a certain amount of courage, it’s in my nature.”
That courage was ever present as Assefa pressed on, alternating grimaces and gasps as she staggered through the final meters determined in her pledge to not let up.
Once across the line Assefa went to the ground and was immediately consoled by no other than Haile Gebrselassie, in town for his induction into the Berlin Marathon Hall of Fame. Haile has become Assefa’s #1 fan and as he assisted her to the medical tent, the distraught look on their faces captured the day’s drama.
You can only imagine the despair of Assefa’s husband Eyob Elias and coach Gemedu, who followed behind the hobbled star in the clock car.
Gebrselassie, no stranger to Achilles injuries, remarked, “It is a bad injury with some long recovery. As you saw today, Tigst is very tough and she will make it.”
Hours after the race, Assefa’s manager Gianni Demadonna issued a statement that “the right tendon is broken and she will undergo surgery tomorrow [Monday] in Munich with full assistance from adidas and with Dr. Johannes Gabel, one of the best surgeons in Germany.”
It’s a sad prospect for the ’24 Olympics silver medalist who has won her three post-Paris races, including a women’s-only-race World Record 2:15:41 run last April in London.
A spirited race for the final podium places took shape after defending champ Rosemary Wanjiru played out by 20K and Hirpa and Dida surged away from Alemitu Tariku at 35K.
The duo ran together from start to finish with Hirpa spurting to a 3-second advantage at the line.
The 27-year-old Hirpa who began her athletic career on the volleyball court said, “I have always had a good sprint but I owe my high position to very hard training.”
BERLIN MARATHON WOMEN’S RESULTS
1. Tigst Assefa (Eth) 2:11:04 PR (3, 3 W)
(kilos: 3:03, 3:09 [6:12], 3:07 [9:19], 3:04 [12:23], 3:07 [15:30], 3:04 [18:34], 3:01 [21:35], 3:05 [24:40], 3:05 [27:45], 3:02 [30:47], 3:04 [33:51], 3:06 [36:57], 3:03 [40:00], 3:03 [43:03], 3:10 [46:13], 3:03 [49:16], 3:05 [52:21], 3:05 [55:26], 3:04 [58:30], 3:04 [1:01:34], 3:04 [1:04:38], 3:04 [1:07:42], 3:07 [1:10:49], 3:02 [1:13:51], 3:09 [1:17:00], 3:02 [1:20:02], 3:05 [1:23:07], 3:05 [1:26:12], 3:03 [1:29:15], 2:59 [1:32:14], 3:06 [1:35:20], 3:00 [1:38:20], 3:04 [1:41:24], 3:04 [1:44:28], 3:04 [1:47:32], 3:05 [1:50:37], 3:02 [1:53:39], 3:06 [1:56:45], 3:07 [1:59:52], 3:07 [2:02:59], 3:22 [2:06:21], 3:57 [2:10:18], 0:46)
(5km segments: 15:30, 15:17 [30:47], 15:26 [46:13], 15:21 [1:01:34], 15:26 [1:17:00], 15:14 [1:32:14], 15:18 [1:47:32], 15:27 [2:02:59], 8:05) (1:04:57/1:06:07);
2. Bedatu Hirpa (Eth) 2:16:53 PR; 3. Dera Dida (Eth) 2:16:55 PR; 4. Bekelech Gudeta (Eth) 2:18:58 PR; 5. Alemitu Tariku (Eth) 2:19:01 PR; 6. Pascaline Jelagat (Ken) 2:20:23 PR; 7. Misgane Alemayehu (Eth) 2:20:27; 8. Ludwina Chepngetich (Ken) 2:21:25 PR; 9. Evaline Chirchir (Ken) 2:21:32; 10. Aminat Ahamed (Eth) 2:21:45;…
17. Rebecca Schmitt (US) 2:27:38 PR; 18. Jacqueline Gaughan (US) 2:27:43;… 25. Allie Kieffer (US) 2:30:41;… 28. Savannah Berry (US) 2:31:31; 29. Katja Goldring (US) 2:31:55;… 32. Rachel McCardell (US) 2:35:57; 33. Tessa Barret (US) 2:36:04;… 36. Gabriella Smith (US) 2:37:42; 37. Kaitlyn Bonnet (US) 2:37:53.
