Kipchoge wins men’s title for the fifth time

Defending champion, Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia won the women’s section of the 2023 Berlin Marathon with a new world record of 2:11:53.

The timing is a considerable improvement over the previous world record of Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei (2:14:04), set at the 2019 Chicago Marathon. A year ago, at the 2022 Berlin Marathon, Tigst had finished first in a personal best of 2:15:37.

A former 800 metres-specialist, she started running marathons only in March 2022. A September 2022 profile in Runner’s World magazine, soon after her victory in the 2022 Berlin Marathon, pointed out that an Achilles tendon injury with consequent difficulty in training in spikes, had seen the talented middle distance runner shift from the track to road races. After a two year-break to recover from the injury, Tigst worked her way through the 10K and the half marathon to the marathon. She debuted in the marathon at the March 2022 Riyadh Marathon, where she finished seventh (2:34:01). Six months later, she was the winner at Berlin and a year thereafter, the world record holder.

“ I didn’t expect to run this fast that is to say to break 2:12, but it is the result of hard work. As for being now a favourite for the Olympic Marathon next year, it is up to the National Committee to select me for the team.’’ Tigst was quoted as saying on the X handle of Berlin Marathon. In Berlin on Sunday, second place among women went to Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui (2:17:49); Tanzania’s Magdalena Shauri (2:18:41) placed third. It was an exceptional showing by Ethiopian women runners as they cornered seven of the top ten finishes in their gender category.   

Among men, the winner of the 2023 Berlin Marathon was yet again, Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, albeit with timing that was the slowest from the gallery of his five wins at the event since 2013. A decade ago, in 2013, Kipchoge had placed second in the year’s Berlin Marathon, with timing of 2:04:05. In 2015, he chopped that to 2:04:00 and a win. It was 2:03:32 by 2017, 2:01:39 in 2018 and down to a spectacular 2:01:09 in 2022 (all of them, first place). On Sunday, the 38-year-old crossed the finish line of the 2023 edition of the event, in 2:02:42 to place first again. Kenya’s Vincent Kipkemoi (2:03:13) placed second while Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele (2:03:24) placed third. “ I always learn from every race and every victory. I’m very happy to win for the 5th time in Berlin. And I shall use these lessons in my preparation for the Olympics,’’ Kipchoge was quoted as saying on the X handle of Berlin Marathon.

Within the world of city marathons, the race in Berlin is much-coveted for its flat, fast course. It has witnessed several world records.  Reporting on 29-year-old Tigst Assefa’s run, Reuters noted, “ She clocked an hour six minutes 20 seconds at the halfway mark and was one of six women to be on world record time at that stage as the Berlin marathon lived up to its reputation as one of the world’s fastest. She had no problem maintaining her pace and at the 37km mark she was just three seconds per kilometre slower than Kipchoge’s time at the same stage, cruising to a sensational world record.’’

Host country, Germany saw one of its runners finish in the top ten at Berlin Marathon for the first time since 2008; Amanal Petros (2:04:58) finished ninth in the race.  

(The authors, Latha Venkatraman and Shyam G Menon, are independent journalists based in Mumbai. The name Tigst Assefa may be found spelt so and also as Tigist. We have gone with the spelling as available at Berlin Marathon and World Athletics.)