Tigst Assefa wins Berlin Marathon in 2:11:04 with ruptured Achilles tendon before undergoing surgery
The Ethiopian runner completed the final kilometres of the race on Sunday before being flown to Bavaria for surgery on Monday, facing up to seven months away from competition.
Race progression and injury
Ethiopian distance runner Tigst Assefa won the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, 27 September 2026, completing the final section of the race despite suffering a complete rupture of her right Achilles tendon. The 29-year-old athlete maintained world record pace through the 35-kilometre mark before leg pain caused her tempo to drop. Discomfort initially began at kilometre 31 and intensified sharply as she passed kilometre 40. Over the final two kilometres, the tendon progressively separated and lost its structural fibres, leaving Assefa visibly limping and unable to generate propulsion with her right foot. She crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 11 minutes and 4 seconds before collapsing in the finish area.
Her manager, Gianni Demadonna, detailed the progression of the injury and her physical condition during the closing stages.
The pain started at kilometre 31, and from kilometre 40 it became very strong. It is incredible how she continued running with this injury and this pain to win the race.
World record split and historical ranking
The winning time of 2:11:04 secured Assefa's third career title in Berlin and established a new personal best. The performance stands as the third fastest women's marathon time in history, trailing the world record of 2:09:56 set in Chicago two years earlier by Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich. Chepngetich is currently serving a provisional suspension following a positive doping test. Immediately following the race, Berlin Marathon director Mark Milde confirmed that Assefa had suffered a right Achilles injury. Demadonna noted that while Assefa felt disappointment at missing the world record after leading the required pace for 40 kilometres, finishing under such severe physical damage remained extraordinary.
- Initial pain develops in Assefa's right Achilles tendon
- Pace drops slightly while maintaining lead
- Pain intensifies sharply as tendon fibres begin tearing
- Assefa wins in 2:11:04 with a completely detached tendon
- Flown by private jet to Bavaria wearing an immobilization boot
- Undergoes surgical repair at a specialized clinic in Murnau
Specialized surgery in Bavaria
On Sunday evening, a corporate sponsor arranged a private flight to transport Assefa from Berlin to Bavaria for urgent medical care. She posted a photograph on Instagram showing her right foot secured in a specialized medical immobilization boot inside the aircraft cabin. On Monday, 28 September 2026, orthopedic surgeons operated on her ruptured tendon at a specialized sports injury clinic in Murnau, in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district of Bavaria. The same clinic previously treated Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder Jamal Musiala for tendon problems in recent months.
Demadonna confirmed that the surgical procedure followed the planned medical protocol and described the physical state of the tendon upon arrival.
Over the last two kilometres, the tendon lost all its fibres and was completely torn at the finish. She could not move anymore.
Rehabilitation timeline and career background
The recovery process requires Assefa to abstain from all running activities for six weeks, followed by an estimated competitive absence of six to seven months. Her management team expressed hope that she will recover in time to contest the London Marathon in April 2027. The athlete had previously transitioned from middle-distance track running to marathon competition after sustaining a separate Achilles tendon injury in 2016. Demadonna emphasized that while the recovery period will be long, the surgical intervention provided the foundation for her eventual rehabilitation.
