The Tigst Assefa marathon record reads like a steady climb: seventh on debut in Riyadh in 2022, then five wins in World Marathon Majors, an Olympic silver and a world championship silver by 22 October 2026. Her best time fell from 2:34:01 to 2:11:04 in just over four years.
Below is every Tigst Assefa marathon recorded by World Athletics as of 22 October 2026, followed by a short account of each key race. Her early track career and the full biography are on the main Tigst Assefa page.
All Tigst Assefa marathon results
| Date | Race | City | Place | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Riyadh Marathon | Riyadh | 7 | 2:34:01 | Debut |
| 25 Sep 2022 | BMW Berlin Marathon | Berlin | 1 | 2:15:37 | First major win |
| 24 Sep 2023 | BMW Berlin Marathon | Berlin | 1 | 2:11:53 | World record at the time |
| 21 Apr 2024 | TCS London Marathon | London | 2 | 2:16:23 | |
| 11 Aug 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris | 2 | 2:22:58 | Olympic silver |
| 27 Apr 2025 | TCS London Marathon | London | 1 | 2:15:50 | Women-only world record at the time |
| 14 Sep 2025 | World Championships | Tokyo | 2 | 2:24:45 | World silver |
| 26 Apr 2026 | TCS London Marathon | London | 1 | 2:15:41 | Women-only world record (as of 22 Oct 2026) |
| 27 Sep 2026 | BMW Berlin Marathon | Berlin | 1 | 2:11:04 | Personal best, course record |
Her debut in Riyadh came about six months before her first Berlin win. In total that makes five wins, three second places and one seventh place.
Debut in Riyadh and the first Berlin win (2022)
Her first marathon in Riyadh in 2022 ended in seventh place in 2:34:01 – a modest start for a former 800m runner. The spring was more successful over the half marathon, with wins in Herzogenaurach (1:07:28 on 30 April 2022) and Gothenburg (1:08:20 on 21 May 2022).
In Berlin on 25 September 2022 everything came together. She won in 2:15:37, more than 18 minutes faster than her debut, and collected her first World Marathon Major at only her second attempt at the distance.
Berlin 2023: 2:11:53
A year later, on 24 September 2023, she returned to Berlin and won in 2:11:53, improving the women's world record by more than two minutes. The details of that run and its later status are on our Tigst Assefa world record page; for this list it is enough to note that the time was also an Ethiopian record until March 2026.
Two second places in 2024: London and Paris
Her first London Marathon, on 21 April 2024, brought second place in 2:16:23. The Olympic race in Paris on 11 August 2024 was decided in the final sprint: she finished three seconds behind Sifan Hassan in 2:22:58 after contact between the two in the closing metres, and took silver. Her Paris time was more than 11 minutes slower than her Berlin run of 2023 – championship marathons are raced without pacemakers.
London champion in 2025 and 2026
On 27 April 2025 she won London in 2:15:50, a world record for a race without male pacemakers. She came back on 26 April 2026 and won again in 2:15:41, lowering that women-only record by nine seconds and becoming a back-to-back London champion.
World Championships silver in Tokyo (2025)
Between her two London wins she ran the World Championships marathon in Tokyo on 14 September 2025 and finished second in 2:24:45. Together with Paris, that gave her silver medals at consecutive global championships.
Berlin 2026: 2:11:04 and an Achilles injury
Her third Berlin win, on 27 September 2026, produced her fastest time: 2:11:04, a course record and, at that date, the third-fastest women's marathon in history. Reports after the race said she felt pain from around 31 km and that her right Achilles tendon ruptured at about 40 km; she finished and won regardless, and was operated on the next day near Munich. More on her recovery is on the main profile.
Tigst Assefa marathon times compared
Her progression over the distance: 2:34:01 (2022), 2:15:37 (2022), 2:11:53 (2023) and 2:11:04 (2026). The 2:11:53 was the Ethiopian record until 15 March 2026, when her training partner Fotyen Tesfay ran 2:10:51 on her debut in Barcelona. As of 22 October 2026 that remains the national record, 13 seconds faster than Tigst Assefa's best.
Her record by city is just as telling. In Berlin she has started three times and won three times (2022, 2023 and 2026). In London she finished second on her first attempt in 2024 and has won both editions since. Her three other marathons – Riyadh in 2022, the Paris Olympics in 2024 and the Tokyo World Championships in 2025 – produced a seventh place and two silver medals.
Her shorter road bests both date from 2022, the year of her breakthrough on the roads: 1:07:28 for the half marathon in Herzogenaurach on 30 April 2022 and 30:52 for 10 km in Langueux on 25 June 2022. As of 22 October 2026 these were still her personal bests at both distances.
Ethiopia's men have their own marathon champion in Paris: Olympic gold medallist Tamirat Tola, who, like her, races the big city marathons.
Where to watch Tigst Assefa
As of 22 October 2026 she has no confirmed race. Her manager said in late September 2026 that a return at the London Marathon in April 2027 was possible, then later called the timeline uncertain. London and Berlin have been shown in Ethiopia on SuperSport (pay TV).
Official rights holders only, checked 22 October 2026. Rights change by event and season – check the broadcaster’s schedule before a race. We do not link to unofficial streams.
For her career, go back to Tigst Assefa; for the other runners and the race calendar, see Ethiopian athletes.
Tigst Assefa marathon FAQ
What is Tigst Assefa's marathon personal best?
2:11:04, set when she won the Berlin Marathon on 27 September 2026.
How many marathons has Tigst Assefa won?
Five as of 22 October 2026: Berlin in 2022, 2023 and 2026, and London in 2025 and 2026.
When was Tigst Assefa's marathon debut?
In Riyadh in 2022, where she finished seventh in 2:34:01.
Did Tigst Assefa run the marathon at the Paris Olympics?
Yes. She won silver on 11 August 2024 in 2:22:58, three seconds behind Sifan Hassan.
Will Tigst Assefa run the London Marathon 2027?
Not confirmed as of 22 October 2026. Her manager mentioned London in April 2027 as a possible return after her Achilles surgery, but no entry has been announced.