Assefa smashes women’s marathon world record in Berlin

Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s marathon world record in Berlin on Sunday, lopping off more than two minutes from the previous best to clock an official time of two hours 11 minutes and 53 seconds.

Assefa, who had set a course record with a personal best last year, set a blistering early pace, gradually shaking off any competition to pulverise Kenyan Brigid Kosgei’s record of two hours 14 minutes and four seconds set in 2019.

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With her time she set a marker for next year’s Paris Olympics while also almost certainly nailing down a spot on the Ethiopian Olympic team for 2024.