Tigst Assefa had world record ambition in her sights from the opening stride as she opened a massive lead while Guye Adola broke away at 30km in the men’s race as both soared to an Ethiopian sweep at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday.
For Assefa, whatever game plan her competitors were set to unleash was secondary as she powered to a 2:11:04 course record victory, winning by nearly six minutes and taking her third win on the course.
Prior to the event, it was already known that Assefa would be targeting taking down Ruth Chepngetich’s 2:09:56 world record from the 2024 Chicago Marathon, and for the bulk of Sunday’s race it appeared that the mark would fall.
Assefa opened an early lead, crossing the 5k point at 15:30 and was already 25 seconds ahead of Rosemary Wanjiru, who was the only person in the chase group as the rest of the pack faded and would have to sort the rest of the podium order.
By the halfway point at 1:04:57, Assefa was almost three minutes past Wanjiru, who was joined by Dera Dida, Pascaline Jelagat, Alemitu Tariku, Bedatu Hirpa and Zeineba Yimer as the chase pack caught up.
But with her pacemakers in tow, Assefa continued her pursuit of the world record and appeared to be on track to shave at least 15 seconds off of Chepngetich’s time. However, near the 40km point, Assefa’s pace eased and she cycled through each step with a noticeable limp.
The chance at the record slipped and Assefa cautiously guided herself under Brandenburg Gate and into the final portion of the race as she crossed the finish line. Hirpa was second in 2:16:53 while Dida took third in 2:16:55.
Adola returned to Berlin eyeing another win on the course after his 2021 victory and took a persistent, but patient approach, into the 30km mark before he broke away and used the lead to bolt to a 2:02:50 for the men’s title.
After holding steady with a lead group of eight that also included Erick Sang, Gemechu Dida, Gabriel Geay, Andamlak Belihu and Asefa Boki at the 25km point at 1:12:22, Adola began pulling from the pack.
Around 30km at 01:26:57, Adola was joined by Barega and Dida as they moved from the group in unison and proved to be the opening that would ultimately decide the race. Adola inched from Dida in 1:41:18 at the 35km mark and was nine seconds ahead as he continued to push the pace and seal the victory.
In the men’s wheelchair race, Marcel Hug won his eleventh Berlin Marathon title in 1:23:28 by nearly six minutes and his seventh straight victory on the course. Catherine Debrunner surged to a 1:35:01 in the women’s division over Manuela Schär, who took second in 1:41:53.
2026 Berlin Marathon Results
Men’s Elite Field
1. Guye Adola (Ethiopia) – 2:02:50
2. Gemechu Dida (Ethiopia) – 2:03:19
3. Gabriel Geay (Tanzania) – 2:03:59
4. Getaneh Molla (Ethiopia) – 2:04:55
5. Selemon Barega (Ethiopia) – 2:04:58
6. Asefa Boki (Ethiopia) – 2:05:32
7. Andamlak Belihu (Ethiopia) – 2:05:55
8. Shura Kitata (Ethiopia) – 2:06:04
9. Yuhei Urano (Japan) – 2:06:09
10. Tadu Abate (Ethiopia) – 2:07:16
Women’s Elite Field
1. Tigst Assefa (Ethiopia) – 2:11:04
2. Bedatu Hirpa (Ethiopia) – 2:16:53
3. Dera Dida (Ethiopia) – 2:16:55
4. Bekelech Gudeta (Ethiopia) – 2:16:55
5. Alemitu Tariku (Ethiopia) – 2:16:55
6. Pascaline Jelagat (Kenya) – 2:16:55
7. Misgane Alemayehu (Ethiopia) – 2:20:27
8. Ludwina Chepngetich (Kenya) – 2:20:27
9. Evaline Chirchir (Kenya) – 2:20:27
10. Aminet Ahmed (Ethiopia) – 2:20:27
Men’s Wheelchair Division
1. Marcel Hug (Switzerland) – 1:23:28
2. Sho Watanabe (Japan) – 1:29:26
3. Lito King Anker (The Netherlands) – 1:29:26
4. Ludwig Malter (Austria) – 1:29:27
5. Geert Schipper (The Netherlands) – 1:29:29
6. Joshua Cassidy (Canada) – 1:31:21
7. Samuel Rizzo (Australia) – 1:33:23
8. Ryota Yoshida (Japan) – 1:37:21
9. Sean Frame – (Great Britain) – 1:38:01
10. Michael McCabe (Great Britain) – 1:41:57
Women’s Wheelchair Division
1. Catherine Debrunner (Switzerland) – 1:35:01
2. Manuela Schär (Switzerland) – 1:41:53
3. Eden Rainbow Cooper (Great Britain) – 1:44:51
4. Melanie Woods (Great Britain) – 1:47:00
5. Vanessa De Souza (Brazil) – 1:47:01
6. Patricia Eachus (Switzerland) – 1:47:06
7. Tsubasa Nakamine (Japan) – 1:47:09
8. Aline dos Santos Rocha (Brazil) – 1:47:13
9. Yen Hoang (USA) – 2:01:09
10. Merle Menje (Germany) – 2:01:09
