Women’s field at Berlin Marathon one of the best all-time; Tigist Assefa the one to beat

Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui and Ethiopian Tigist Assefa will be toeing the line in the 2023 Berlin Marathon on Sunday. The two are looking to break their respective national records and qualify early for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Assefa is the favourite and defending champion. Chepkirui will be looking for the upset.

Chepkirui finished fourth in the London Marathon in April. She has run as fast as 2:17:29, which she accomplished during the Valencia Marathon in December 2022.

The 26-year-old Assefa clocked an impressive performance of 2:15:37, just 1:33 off of Kenyan Brigid Kosgei’s world record. She is a former middle-distance runner who was competitive over the 800m event.

“Last year’s race proved an unexpected success for me. I think I can run even faster on Sunday, a further improvement would be a success,” said Tigst Assefa.

Coverage of the women's race at the Berlin Marathon was typically terrible and a real shame given this huge performance from Tigist Assefa – a Rio Olympian over 800m – whose 2:15:37 puts her third on the all-time list.

Great reaction, too. pic.twitter.com/ZMNEhz4iAW

— Cathal Dennehy (@Cathal_Dennehy) September 25, 2022

Chepkirui is good in tough conditions. With freezing temperatures, Chepkirui won the 2022 Berlin Half Marathon setting the current course record of 1:05:02. At this year’s London Marathon, Chepkirui impressed with a time of 2:18:51, which was good enough for fourth place in a strong field. She is aiming for the podium this time and should give Assefa a run for her money.

Japan’s Hitomi Niiya has a personal best of 2:19:24, which the 35-year-old ran in January 2023 in Houston. Niiya holds the current Japanese record in the half-marathon at 1:06:38 and the 10,000m at 30:20.44.

All eyes should be on Ethiopian Senbere Teferi. Her marathon personal best is not near what her half-marathon suggests she is capable of. She ran the 21.1K distance four years ago in the time of 1:05:38. The 28-year-old currently holds the road 5K world record at 14:29, which she set in 2021 in Herzogenaurach, Germany.

In addition to the international competition, a good contest is expected among German women. The German contingent, featuring athletes like twins Deborah and Rabea Schöneborn, Domenika Mayer, Kristina Hendel, and Laura Hottenrott, has a strong presence with personal bests ranging from 2:25 to 2:27.

‼️NEW COURSE RECORD‼️

Tigist Assefa 🇪🇹 smashes the @berlinmarathon women’s course record with a run of 2:15:37. The third fastest time in history! Berlin is off the scale this year. #AbbottWMM pic.twitter.com/3oKqMPtf3j

— Abbott WMMajors (@WMMajors) September 25, 2022

Deborah has the upper hand over her sister Rabea, with her 2023 Seville Marathon performance in February clocking a 2:25:52 performance. The 29-year-old has set at least three new personal bests in 2023. Rabea owns a best of 2:27:03 from Enschede, Netherlands two years ago.

How to watch the Berlin Marathon

The men’s field has at least 21 starters who have run sub-2:08 including world record holder Eliud Kipchoge with his 2:01:09.

Elite women’s list

2023 Berlin Marathon Women Start List 

Elite men’s list