The BMW Berlin Marathon produced drama in the closing kilometres on Sunday as Ethiopia's Guye Adola crossed the line first in 2:02:50, while compatriot Tigst Assefa, who had been on world-record pace through 40 kilometres, was hampered by cramps and recorded a course-leading time of 2:11:04.
Late agony for an audacious record attempt
Assefa, the two-time Berlin champion, appeared set to reclaim the women's marathon world record on the same course where she previously ran historic times. She reached the 40‑kilometre mark in about 2:03:00 and was positioned to challenge the standing world record of 2:09:56. But in the final stretch, severe cramping forced her to slow and limp toward the Brandenburg Gate, where she collapsed to the ground in visible distress after finishing.
Despite the setback, Assefa's finish was the third-fastest time ever recorded by a woman and established a new Berlin course record. Her time was also a personal best by 49 seconds from her previous fastest.
Depth of Ethiopian dominance
Ethiopian athletes dominated the podium and top placings in the race. Adola’s win marked his second triumph in Berlin, following a victory in 2021. He completed the course in 2:02:50. Fellow Ethiopian Gemechu Dida Diriba took second in 2:03:19, while Tanzania’s Gabriel Gerald Geay finished third in 2:03:59. Ethiopian runners occupied the top five positions overall.
| Placing | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guye Adola | Ethiopia | 2:02:50 |
| 2 | Gemechu Dida Diriba | Ethiopia | 2:03:19 |
| 3 | Gabriel Gerald Geay | Tanzania | 2:03:59 |
Context and wider implications
Assefa’s challenge came amid a shifting landscape in women's marathon records. She first set a world record in Berlin in 2023, a mark later lowered by Ruth Chepng’etich, who ran 2:09:56 in Chicago in 2024. Chepng’etich was not in Berlin this year; she is serving a three‑year suspension for a doping violation and therefore absent from competition.
The race organisers had moved start times earlier this year after hot conditions affected last year's event. On Sunday, autumn sunshine and light winds offered near‑ideal conditions, although temperatures remained warm — factors that made the late physical distress for Assefa all the more dramatic.
What happened at the finish
- Assefa reached 40 km in roughly 2:03:00 while still on pace for a record.
- She slowed with cramps in the final kilometres, limped to the line and collapsed afterwards.
- Adola won the race for a second time in Berlin, completing a fast front pack dominated by East African runners.
Sabastian Sawe, the men’s world record holder who might have been expected to feature, did not compete because of an injury but attended the event as a guest of honour.
Sunday’s Berlin Marathon reaffirmed the city’s reputation as a stage for swift marathon performances and dramatic finishes. For Assefa, the day produced a bittersweet result: a superb time and a course record, but not the world mark she had been pursuing. For Adola, it was a commanding victory that underlined Ethiopia’s continued strength in distance running.
