LONDON, United Kingdom — Tigst Assefa retained her London Marathon title on Sunday, breaking her own women-only world record in a commanding finish against a strong Kenyan challenge.
The Ethiopian star, an Olympic and world silver medallist, surged clear in the closing stages to win in 2:15:41, shaving nine seconds off the previous women-only world best she set on the same course last year at the London Marathon.
Assefa had been locked in a tightly contested lead group alongside Kenya’s Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkosgei for much of the race. However, she broke away in the final kilometres, showing superior finishing strength to secure back-to-back victories.
Obiri, a two-time world 5,000m champion and Olympic bronze medallist, finished second in a personal best of 2:15:53, narrowly edging Jepkosgei in a dramatic sprint for the podium.
Jepkosgei crossed the line fractions of a second behind in third, underlining the competitiveness of the elite field.
The performance reinforces Assefa’s dominance in women-only races, a category distinct from mixed races where male pacemakers are allowed.
In contrast, the overall women’s marathon world record—set in a mixed race—stands at 2:09:56, held by Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich following her run at the Chicago Marathon in October 2024.
Chepngetich was later handed a three-year doping ban in October 2025. However, records and results achieved prior to the March 2025 sample that led to the sanction remain valid under World Athletics regulations.
Sunday’s race highlighted the continued rivalry between East African distance-running powerhouses Kenya and Ethiopia, with the podium once again dominated by athletes from the two nations.
For Assefa, the victory not only cements her status among the sport’s elite but also strengthens her claim as one of the most consistent performers in major marathons.
