Tigst Assefa was all smiles over the weekend after breaking the world record at the London Marathon. The athletics season is already underway, with numerous invitational and open events taking place in various parts of the world. This weekend, the London Marathon, which attracts many of the world’s best long-distance runners, both men and women, occurred on Sunday, April 27, 2025, in London, England.
World Record
Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa completed the 42 km (26 miles) in 2:15:50, setting a new world record. It was previously held by Peres Jepchirchir, who set the record in 2024 with a time of 2:16:16. Assefa beat Peres’ record by 26 seconds. In second place was Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya, who finished the race in 2:18:43, nearly three minutes behind Assefa. The third place was taken by Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, who completed the marathon in 2:18:59. The Guinness World Record recognized Assefa for setting a new world record in a women-only marathon.
Tigst Assefa
This is a great start for her season as she stated, “When I crossed the line, I just felt extreme happiness. I was very, very happy to win the race. I really wanted to win today, after Paris where I finished second. I really trained hard,” per the Guardian. At the Paris Olympics, Assefa found herself in a troubled position following the events on the track involving her and one of her toughest rivals, Hassan. Assefa’s camp petitioned for the disqualification of Sifan, who had scooped gold, but their petition was rejected. This victory served as a personal statement for the 28-year-old long-distance runner.
Other Victories
This is her third gold medal in Marathons, with additional victories at Berlin in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, she finished second at the London Marathon. This victory establishes a strong pace for her season this year.
