Assefa wins Berlin Marathon but misses world record

Tigst Assefa won the women’s Berlin Marathon on September 27 in 2:11:04, securing her third victory in the race but finishing short of the world record. The Ethiopian had been running ahead of record pace before slowing in the closing kilometres; the race account attributed the slowdown to cramps. Guye Adola won the men’s race in 2:02:50. Assefa led the women’s field and finished ahead of compatriots Bedatu Hirpa, who was second in 2:16:53, and Dera Dida, who placed third in 2:16:55. The result followed Assefa’s earlier Berlin wins in 2022 and 2023, according to the published results report. In the men’s race, Adola finished ahead of fellow Ethiopian Gemechu Dida Diriba, who clocked 2:03:19, and Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay, who finished in 2:03:59. Adola’s winning time was nine seconds faster than the runner-up’s. Assefa had been 20 seconds below world-record pace at the 35-kilometre mark, according to the race account. It said she lost time over the final two kilometres and crossed the line in 2:11:04. The reported cause of the slowdown was cramps; the supplied accounts do not provide separate confirmation of that explanation.