Ethiopia's Assefa smashes women's marathon world record in Berlin

BERLIN : Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa shattered the women's marathon world record in Berlin on Sunday, lopping off more than two minutes from the previous best to clock an official time of two hours 11 minutes and 53 seconds.

Assefa, who had set a course record with a personal best last year, set a blistering early pace, gradually shaking off any competition to break Kenyan Brigid Kosgei's record of two hours 14 minutes and four seconds set in 2019.

Her remarkable victory overshadowed men's world record holder Eliud Kipchoge's record fifth victory on Berlin's quick and flat inner-city course.

The 38-year-old Kenyan, who is aiming to win his third Olympic marathon medal next year in Paris, did not come close to the record he set in Berlin last year, finishing with a time of two hours two minutes 42 seconds.

Assefa, who only started racing marathons in April last year, made her intentions clear from the start with a lightning-quick pace of her own.

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.