Cramps derail Tigst Assefa's world record as Guye Adola wins Berlin Marathon
Tigst Assefa missed a world record at the Berlin Marathon after suffering severe cramps near the finish line, though she still secured her third victory in the race. Meanwhile, fellow Ethiopian runner Guye Adola won the men's division with a strong finish.
Why it matters
Major marathon events capture global sports attention and showcase elite athletic endurance, while highlighting the physical tolls and unpredictability of professional racing.
BERLIN -- Tigst Assefa wanted her world record back and was on course to smash it until cramps before the finish line dashed her hopes in the Berlin Marathon on Sunday.
The 29-year-old Assefa still ran the third fastest time ever. She set a new course record with a time of 2 hours, 11 minutes and 4 seconds for her third Berlin Marathon win after 2022 and 2023.
Assefa set a world record with her time of 2:11:53 in 2023 , only for Ruth Chepng'etich to lower the mark by nearly 2 minutes to 2:09:56 in Chicago the following year.
Chepng’etich wasn't racing Sunday because she's serving a three-year ban for a doping violation . Her record still stands.
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