Assefa Smashes Own Record to Defend London Marathon Title
Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa produced another historic performance at the TCS London Marathon to successfully defend her title while breaking her own women’s world record with a stunning time of 2:15:41 on Sunday.
The 29-year-old lowered the mark of 2:15:50 that she set on the same course last year, trimming nine seconds off her previous best in a race that once again highlighted her dominance over the marathon distance.
Her latest feat further cements her place among the greatest women’s marathoners in history.
Assefa ran a controlled yet relentless race, staying composed through the early stages before gradually increasing the pace after the halfway mark.
By the final stretch along The Mall, she had distanced herself from the chasing pack, powering through to the finish with remarkable efficiency and strength.
The Ethiopian star had come into the race as the favourite, especially after her commanding victory in last year’s edition where she delivered one of the fastest marathon times ever recorded. Her ability to return and surpass that performance underlined both her consistency and her evolving mastery of race strategy.
Behind her, the competition struggled to match her rhythm as the field stretched out in the latter stages. While several elite runners attempted to stay within reach, none could sustain the pace required to challenge Assefa once she made her decisive move.
This victory not only reinforces Assefa’s status at the top of women’s marathon running but also signals a new benchmark in women’s-only races.
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