Ethiopian runner Tigst Assefa has expressed her readiness to run "better than my best" at the upcoming Berlin marathon. Assefa, the course record holder, has a personal best of 2:11:53, which she achieved in Berlin in 2023, making it the third fastest time ever run by a woman. Her recent performance at the London marathon in April, where she set a new women's only world record with a time of 2:15:41, demonstrates her strong form.
Assefa's main rival at the Berlin marathon is expected to be Rosemary Wanjiru of Kenya, who has a personal best of 2:16:28 and won the marathon last year. However, Assefa's focus is on improving her own performance rather than competing against others. "I don't know what will happen on Sunday. But I've prepared very well. What I'll strive for is to improve on my best performance and not to go backwards," Assefa told reporters.
The Berlin marathon is considered one of the fastest major marathon courses, with cool conditions in autumn and fewer turns or inclines than other major marathons. The course has seen the world record broken 13 times, more often than anywhere else. Assefa, who won on her Berlin debut in 2022, believes the course is "very good for runners" and is optimistic about her chances of achieving a personal best.
Assefa's journey to becoming a top marathon runner has been remarkable. She was a medalist over 800 meters at the African Junior Championships and was the first woman to break the two-minute mark over the distance. However, an Achilles tendon injury prevented her from training in spikes, leading her to switch to road racing. After two years off from running during the pandemic, Assefa finished seventh in her first marathon in Valencia in 2022.
The withdrawal of men's world record holder Sabastian Sawe in August has shifted attention to Assefa's performance. Sawe, who won in Berlin in 2025 and broke the marathon world record in London in April, became the first man to break the mythical two-hour mark. Assefa's achievement in Berlin in 2023, where she set a course record, makes her a strong contender for the top spot.
Assefa's women's only world record time of 2:15:41, set in London in April, is two minutes behind the world mark of 2:09:56 set by Ruth Chepngetich in Chicago in 2024. However, Chepngetich's record is now clouded by a three-year doping ban handed down in 2025. Assefa's focus remains on achieving a personal best and making the most of her preparation.
Assefa expressed her excitement about returning to Berlin, a city where she has enjoyed success in the past. "I'm thrilled to be back here for a third time. I started with success in Berlin and I hope to continue with success here," she said, wearing a sponsor-branded jacket emblazoned with her women's only world record time.
Key points
- Assefa aims to improve her personal best of 2:11:53 at the Berlin marathon.
- The Berlin marathon is considered one of the fastest major marathon courses.
- Assefa's main rival at the marathon is Rosemary Wanjiru of Kenya.
