Most athletes run to win medals, but Tigst Assefa runs to wave the Ethiopian flag and rewrite her history. Assefa started as a road racer and climbed the steps to become one of the best marathon runners in the world. Every race she competes in is more than a competition; it validates her ambition and Ethiopian heritage pride.
Tigst Assefa Tessema is an Ethiopian long-distance runner known and praised for her speed and record-breaking performances. She began her career at 12 and specialized in middle-distance events before moving on to road races and major marathons. Assefa has faced major setbacks due to injuries, but they did not stop her from breaking barriers and setting new standards in international women’s marathons. Who is the fastest woman in London Marathon 2025?
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Tigst Assefa profile overview
| Personal information | Details |
| Full name | Tigst Assefa Tessema |
| Date of birth | 3rd December 1996 |
| Age | 28 years old |
| Place of birth | Holeta, Oromia Region, Ethiopia |
| Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Nationality | Ethiopian |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Specialty | Long-distance running |
| Coach | Gemedu Dedefo |
Who is Tigst Assefa?
Tigst Assefa is an long-distance runner of Ethiopian descent and the former world record holder of the women’s marathon. The 28-year-old was an 800m specialist but later switched to road races in 2018 and ran her first major marathon in 2022. Tigst has won three world-class marathons, one in London and two in Berlin.
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Early background and career
Assefa Tigst, born of Oromo parents, started running at 12. She won a bronze medal in the 2009 senior Ethiopian Athletics Championships where she set a smashing time of 56:70 seconds in the 400m. Later in January 2012, she set foot in the international race in the French 800m, and that same year, she competed in the African championships 400m race. Representing Ethiopia, she was able to set a new personal best time of 54:05 seconds.
Tigst Assefa’s athletic journey
Tigst has risen from being a track star in Ethiopia to a world record breaker. Here is a brief overview of her athletic journey:
Early track success
After 2012, Assefa switched from 400m to 800m full-time. At 16, she became the Ethiopian junior champion in the 800m under a personal best of 2:01:25, winning bronze at the African juniors and silver in the 4×400m relay. Later in 2014, she improved her personal best by 1:59:24 in Lausanne. She became fourth at the African Championships in Morocco, won the ISTAF Berlin meet, and was also fourth in the IAAF Continental Cup. She only competed in two races in 2015.
In 2016, she represented Ethiopia in the 800m at the World Indoor Championships and the Rio Olympics in Brazil, but didn’t qualify. In late 2016, she never ran due to an Achilles tendon injury, and in 2018, she debuted on the road races, in Dubai and later in Germany. She also debuted in the half-marathon in Valencia and finished 5th under a time of 68:24.
Transition to road racing to a Marathon breakthrough
Assefa returned to racing in March after a two-year break because of a 2019 injury and the COVID-19 pandemic. She made her marathon debut at the Riyadh marathon, where she finished 7th and set a time of 2:34:01. She won three 10km races and two half marathons before June and set personal bests of 30:52 in Langueux, France, and 67:28 in Herzogenaurach, Germany.
Tigst Assefa’s Berlin marathon performance made her the third fastest female marathoner of all time, at that time with a time of 2:15:37. Assefa went on to improve her personal best by 18 minutes and broke the Ethiopian record. In December, she competed in the Bahrain Royal Night half-marathon and won.
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Record wins & medals
On 24th September 2023, wearing the famous Tigst Assefa shoes, also known as the super shoes, she set a world record in the Berlin marathon under a time of 2:11:53 and became the first woman to run under the 2:14, 2:13, and 2:12 barriers. She also improved Brigid Kosgei’s time by 2 minutes and 11 seconds. Assefa was also the first Ethiopian woman to break the marathon world record. Her time was also faster than that of her compatriot, Abebe Bikila, who ran barefoot in 1960 to become the first black African man to win an Olympic marathon title.
Tigst Assefa’s Olympic breakthrough in Paris came after she won silver in the marathon with a time of 2:28:58, just 3 seconds behind Sifan Hassan. After a stumble in the marathon, the Ethiopian team filed a protest to disqualify Hassan for the obstruction, but it was rejected. In the 2025 London marathon, she won a gold medal under 2:15:50, setting a new women-only world record, a moment which Tigst Assefa’s husband, Elias Eyob, celebrated.
Achievements
The following is a detailed table showing Assefa’s major achievements:
| Date | Discipline | Competition & Venue | Performance |
| 24th September 2023 | Marathon | Berlin, Germany | 2:11:53 NR |
| 25th June 2022 | 10 km Road | Corrida Internationale de Langueux, France | 30:52 |
| 30th April 2022 | Half Marathon | Herzogenaurach, Germany | 1:07:28 |
| 3rd July 2014 | 800 m | Athletissima, Lausanne, Switzerland | 1:59.24 |
| 21st February 2016 | 800 m (Indoor) | Metz, France | 2:02.01 |
| 27th June 2012 | 400 m | Porto-Novo, Benin | 54.05 |
| 1st July 2012 | 4 × 400 m Relay | Porto-Novo, Benin | 3:41.10 |
Personal bests
The following is a detailed table showing Assefa’s personal bests:
| Date | Discipline | Competition & Venue | Performance |
| 24th September 2023 | Marathon | Berlin, Germany | 2:11:53 NR |
| 25th June 2022 | 10 km Road | Corrida Internationale de Langueux, France | 30:52 |
| 30th April 2022 | Half Marathon | Herzogenaurach, Germany | 1:07:28 |
| 3rd July 2014 | 800 m | Athletissima, Lausanne, Switzerland | 1:59.24 |
| 21st February 2016 | 800 m (Indoor) | Metz, France | 2:02.01 |
| 27th June 2012 | 400 m | Porto-Novo, Benin | 54.05 |
| 1st July 2012 | 4 × 400 m Relay | Porto-Novo, Benin | 3:41.10 |
Season bests
The following is a detailed table showing Assefa’s 2025 season bests:
| Date | Discipline | Competition & Venue | Performance |
| 27th April 2025 | Marathon | TCS London Marathon, London, UK | 2:15:50 WR, AR |
International competitions
The following is a detailed table showing Tigst Assefa’s competitions where she represented Ethiopia:
| Year | Competition | Venue | Event | Time | Position |
| 2012 | African Championships | Porto-Novo, Benin | 400 m | 55.58¹ | 19th (SF) |
| 4 × 400 m relay | 3:41.10 | 7th | |||
| 2013 | African Junior Championships | Réduit, Mauritius | 800 m | 2:05.6h | 3rd |
| 4 × 400 m relay | 3:42.2h | 2nd | |||
| 2014 | African Championships | Marrakesh, Morocco | 800 m | 2:00.43 | 4th |
| Continental Cup | Marrakesh, Morocco | 800 m | 2:00.57 | 4th | |
| 2016 | World Indoor Championships | Portland, OR, United States | 800 m (i) | 2:04.55 | 12th (H) |
| Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 800 m | 2:00.21 SB | 20th (H) |
The following is a detailed table showing Tigst Assefa’s marathon records:
| Year | Competition | Venue | Event | Time | Position |
| 2022 | Berlin Marathon | Berlin, Germany | Marathon | 2:15:37 CR NR | 1st |
| 2023 | Berlin Marathon | Berlin, Germany | Marathon | 2:11:53 CR WR | 1st |
| 2024 | London Marathon | London, England | Marathon | 2:16:23 | 2nd |
| 2025 | London Marathon | London, England | Marathon | 2:15:50 | 1st |
Key:
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
| SF | Semifinals |
| H | Heats |
| I | Indoor |
| CR | Course Record |
| NR | National Record |
| WR | World Record |
| SB | Season Best |
Honors
Aside from Tigst Assefa’s world record, she is also a:
- 1× Olympic Games silver medalist
- 3× Major Marathon winner
- 1× African U20 Championships silver medalist
The table shows Assefa’s medals at major competitions:
| Year | Competition | Competition Name | Medal Position | Event | Performance |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | XXXIII Olympic Games | 2 | Marathon | 2:22:58 |
| 2014 | World (Continental) Cup | IAAF Continental Cup | 4 | 800 Metres | 2:00.57 |
| 2014 | African Championships | Marrakesh African Championships | 4 | 800 Metres | 2:00.43 |
| 2012 | African Championships | Porto Novo African Championships | 7 | 4×400 Metres Relay | 3:41.10 |
| 2016 | Diamond League | Roma Golden Gala – Pietro Mennea | 1 | 800 Metres | 2:00.84 |
| 2025 | Major Marathon | TCS London Marathon | 1 | Marathon | 2:15:50 |
| 2023 | Major Marathon | BMW Berlin Marathon | 1 | Marathon | 2:11:53 |
| 2022 | Major Marathon | BMW Berlin Marathon | 1 | Marathon | 2:15:37 |
| 2024 | Major Marathon | TCS London Marathon | 2 | Marathon | 2:16:23 |
| 2013 | African U20 Championships | Réduit African Junior Championships | 2 | 4×400 Metres Relay | 3:42.2h |
| 2013 | African U20 Championships | Réduit African Junior Championships | 3 | 800 Metres | 2:05.6h |
Current world ranking
The following table shows Tigst Assefa’s current world ranking position:
| Category | Current Place | Highest Place | Weeks at Highest |
| Women’s Marathon | 1 | 1 | 82 |
| Women’s Overall Ranking | 21 | 6 | 25 |
| Women’s Road Running | – | 28 | 10 |
What’s next for Tigst Assefa?
After a remarkable performance in the 2025 London marathon, Tigst delivered a new women’s-only world record and set the standard for championship-style marathoning. After a silver medal in Paris, she also confirmed her status as the most talented marathon runner. Assefa has also been named among the Ethiopian team for the 2025 World Athletics Championships and will compete in the World Championships marathon in Tokyo. Assefa has also expressed the desire to return to the Berlin marathon and break the 2-hour 10-minute barrier.
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Fast facts about Tigst Assefa
How old is Assefa?
As of 2025, Tigst Assefa is 28 years old.
How old is Assefa? As of 2025, Tigst Assefa is 28 years old.
What is Tigst Assefa’s marathon record? Assefa set a marathon record under 2:11:53, which remains the second-fastest women’s marathon ever.
How tall is Tigst Assefa? She is 1.67m which is 5ft 6 inches.
Conclusion
From a young girl running in the streets of Ethiopia to winning international marathons, Tigst Assefa has shown great talent, discipline and determination. She has achieved significant personal successes and inspired many athletes, especially those dreaming of stepping on the global stage. As Assefa looks forward to the future, her story shows that challenges are temporary, and the goal is always to push the limits.
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