Assefa won the race in a course-record 2:11:04, the third-fastest women’s time in history, but was clearly in severe pain in the final kilometres. She had been running well inside world-record pace for much of the race before her stride broke down dramatically in the closing stages.
The 29-year-old limped across the finish line and collapsed immediately afterwards. She required on-site medical attention and bypassed the podium ceremony. Race officials later confirmed she had sustained an acute injury to her right Achilles tendon.
Assefa’s management arranged for her to be transferred to Munich, where specialists will conduct further scans to determine whether she has suffered a partial tear that may require surgery.
Despite the injury, Assefa still produced an outstanding performance. She led from early on, built a substantial lead, and finished more than five minutes clear of second-placed Bedatu Hirpa. The top five finishers were all Ethiopian.
Race director Mark Milde praised her courage: “She was on a world-record course for most of the race but then something happened to her tendon. To finish like this, I’ve never seen something like this. The pain is hard to imagine.”
Assefa, the Paris 2024 Olympic silver medallist and 2026 London Marathon winner, had been targeting Ruth Chepngetich’s world record of 2:09:56. Her time still improved on her previous Berlin course record and her London performance earlier this year.
The focus now turns to the medical assessment in Munich and the expected recovery period. The injury is a significant setback for one of the world’s leading marathon runners as she looks ahead to future major races.