What changed
Tigst Assefa races at the BMW Berlin Marathon on September 27, 2026, targeting the women's marathon world record of 2:09:56. The record is currently held by Ruth Chepngetich. Assefa aims to claim a third Berlin title and beat the benchmark she helped establish in 2023.
Why it matters
Assefa holds the women-only marathon record from her April 2026 London victory, where she ran 2:15:41. This race is her attempt to take the overall women's world record back from Chepngetich. The stakes are immediate and personal: winning the race secures her third Berlin gold, but only a sub-2:09:56 time shifts the global record holder status. If Assefa succeeds, she reclaims the top spot in the sport's most prestigious metric. If she fails, Chepngetich retains the record, and Assefa’s recent London performance, while fast, does not alter the overall hierarchy. The field is deep, with seven women possessing personal bests under 2:20, meaning the margin for error is razor-thin.
What to watch next
The 21.1km split time is the primary indicator. A split under 1:04:30 suggests Assefa is on pace to challenge the record. The final outcome will be determined by whether she can sustain that pace against strong competition from Kenyan and Ethiopian rivals.
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