Berlin Marathon 2023: A Historic Day for Assefa and Kipchoge
The 2023 Berlin Marathon was a memorable event that witnessed two remarkable performances from the winners of the men’s and women’s races. Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia shattered the women’s world record by over two minutes, while Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya claimed his fifth title in Berlin with the eighth fastest time in history. Here are some of the highlights and subheadings from this amazing day of running.
Assefa Breaks the World Record in Her Third Marathon
Tigist Assefa, who made her marathon debut in 2022, stunned the world with a sensational run that smashed the previous world record of 2:14:04 set by Brigid Kosgei in 2019. Assefa crossed the finish line in 2:11:53, becoming the first woman to run under 2:12 in a marathon. She also improved her personal best by almost four minutes, which she set when she won the Berlin Marathon last year in 2:15:37.
Assefa ran a bold and aggressive race, breaking away from the pack after 15 kilometers and increasing her lead throughout the course. She reached the halfway point in 1:06:20, putting her on pace to run under 2:13. She maintained her speed and determination in the second half, despite running alone and without pacemakers. She covered the final 10 kilometers in 31:48, sealing her historic victory.
Assefa’s performance was even more impressive considering that she had not raced at all in 2023 before Berlin. She also wore Adidas’s newest super shoe, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1, which is said to be very light and responsive.
Assefa was overjoyed with her achievement, saying that she had trained hard and believed in herself. She also thanked God and her coach for their support. She dedicated her win to her country, Ethiopia, which has been facing political and humanitarian crises.
Kipchoge Wins His Fifth Berlin Title, But Misses the World Record
Eliud Kipchoge, widely regarded as the greatest marathoner of all time, added another laurel to his illustrious career by winning his fifth Berlin Marathon in 2:02:42. He fell short of his own world record of 2:01:39, which he set in Berlin in 2022, but still ran the eighth fastest time ever and the fastest time of the year.
Kipchoge showed his intent to break the world record from the start, running at a blistering pace that was well under 2:02. He was accompanied by only one other runner, Derseh Kindie of Ethiopia, who stayed with him until 31 kilometers before dropping out. Kipchoge then ran solo for the rest of the race, with no pacemakers or challengers to push him.
Kipchoge began to slow down slightly in the final kilometers, but still managed to finish strong and comfortably ahead of the rest of the field. He crossed the line with a smile and a fist pump, celebrating his fifth win in Berlin after 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022.
Kipchoge said that he was happy with his performance, even though he did not break the world record. He said that he gave his best and enjoyed the race. He also praised the organizers and the spectators for creating a wonderful atmosphere. He said that he was looking forward to his next challenge, which could be either another marathon or a track race.
Other Notable Results and Stories
The Berlin Marathon also saw some impressive results and stories from other runners, both elite and amateur. Here are some of them:
- Vincent Kipkemoi of Kenya finished second in his debut marathon, running 2:03:13. He was followed by Tadese Takele of Ethiopia, who ran 2:03:24 for third place.
- Charlotte Purdue of Great Britain was the top non-African finisher in the women’s race, placing ninth in 2:22:17. She improved her personal best by over two minutes and moved up to fourth on the British all-time list.
- Marcel Hug of Switzerland won his fourth Berlin Marathon title in the men’s wheelchair race, clocking 1:23:07. He beat Daniel Romanchuk of USA by over seven minutes.
- Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland won her first Berlin Marathon title in the women’s wheelchair race, edging out Eden Rainbow Cooper of Great Britain by one second in 1:34:16.
- Amanal Petros of Germany became the fastest German marathoner ever, running 2:04:58 for ninth place. He broke Arne Gabius’s national record of 2:08:33 from 2015.
- More than 25,000 runners from over 100 countries participated in the Berlin Marathon, which was the first major marathon to take place in Europe since the COVID-19 pandemic. The event followed strict health and safety protocols, such as requiring proof of vaccination or recovery, wearing masks at the start and finish areas, and limiting the number of spectators.
