Tigst Assefa is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who is one of the greatest women’s marathoners in history. A former women’s marathon world record holder, she stunned the athletics world in 2023 when she shattered the record at the Berlin Marathon, and she has since established herself as the sport’s dominant force, winning multiple major marathons and Olympic and world silver medals. A remarkable talent who converted from middle-distance running to become a marathon superstar, she is a three-time Berlin Marathon champion and a two-time London Marathon winner, renowned for her extraordinary speed over the classic distance.
Tigst Assefa Biography, Wiki
| Field | Details |
| Full Name | Tigst Assefa Tessema |
| Date of Birth | 3 December 1996 |
| Age (2026) | 29 years |
| Birthplace | Holeta, Oromia, Ethiopia |
| Nationality | Ethiopian |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Sport | Athletics (long-distance running) |
| Event | Marathon |
| Marathon Best | 2:11:04 |
| Coached By | Gemedu Dedefo |
Tigst Assefa Details
| Area | Detail |
| Early career | A middle-distance runner and Olympian at 800m |
| Switch | Transitioned to the marathon with huge success |
| World record | Broke the women’s marathon world record in 2023 |
| Berlin | A three-time Berlin Marathon champion |
| London | A two-time London Marathon winner |
| Medals | Olympic and world championship silver medallist |
Tigst Assefa Events
| Year | Event |
| 3 December 1996 | Born in Holeta, Oromia, Ethiopia |
| 2010s | Competed as an 800m middle-distance runner |
| 2022 | Won her first Berlin Marathon title |
| 2023 | Broke the world record at the Berlin Marathon |
| 2024 | Won Olympic silver in the marathon in Paris |
| 2025 to 2026 | Won the London Marathon twice |
| September 2026 | Won her third Berlin Marathon in a course record |
Tigst Assefa Early Life and Career Beginnings
Tigst Assefa was born Tigst Assefa Tessema on 3 December 1996 in Holeta, in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia, a country celebrated for producing world-class distance runners. She began her athletics career not in the marathon but in middle-distance events, competing as an 800-metre runner. She represented Ethiopia at the highest level in her early career, including at the Olympic Games, and recorded a strong personal best over 800 metres. However, she did not achieve her greatest breakthroughs on the track, and she would later make a dramatic and highly successful switch to road running and the marathon.
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Tigst Assefa Marathon Career
Tigst Assefa’s Rise and 2022 Berlin Win
Tigst Assefa transformed her career when she moved up to the marathon, and she quickly demonstrated an extraordinary aptitude for the distance. She announced herself as a major force by winning the 2022 Berlin Marathon in an exceptional time, one of the fastest women’s marathon debuts of its kind at that level, immediately marking her out as a rising star. Her success in Berlin began a defining relationship with the fast German course and set the stage for the record-breaking performances that would soon follow and elevate her to the very top of the sport.
Tigst Assefa’s World Record
Tigst Assefa produced one of the most stunning performances in the history of women’s distance running at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, when she shattered the women’s marathon world record, running 2:11:53 and taking more than two minutes off the previous mark. The run was widely regarded as a landmark moment in the sport, redefining what was thought possible in the women’s marathon, and it established her as the dominant marathoner of her era. The performance cemented her status as a global star of athletics and one of the finest female distance runners ever.
Tigst Assefa’s Major Titles and Medals
Tigst Assefa has amassed a remarkable collection of major honours. Beyond her Berlin triumphs, she won the London Marathon, one of the sport’s most prestigious races, including a women-only world-record run, and she claimed a silver medal in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and another silver at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. Her consistency at the very highest level, winning World Marathon Majors and medalling at global championships, has made her one of the most accomplished and decorated marathoners in the world.
Tigst Assefa’s Third Berlin Title
Tigst Assefa returned to Berlin in September 2026 as the clear favourite and won the race for a third time, in a course-record and personal-best time of 2:11:04. Running inside world-record pace for almost the entire race, she was on course to reclaim the outright world record until the final kilometres, when she was hit by an apparent injury and slowed dramatically, limping to the finish under the Brandenburg Gate. Despite narrowly missing the record, her time was the third-fastest women’s marathon in history, and she led an Ethiopian sweep of the podium, underlining her enduring dominance.
Tigst Assefa’s Achievements and Personal Bests
Tigst Assefa holds an outstanding set of credentials as one of the greatest women’s marathoners of all time. She has run 2:11:04 for the marathon, and her 2023 world-record time of 2:11:53 remains among the fastest ever. A former world record holder, a three-time Berlin Marathon champion, a two-time London Marathon winner, and an Olympic and world silver medallist, she has established a legacy as a transformative figure in the women’s marathon, and she has held the world number one ranking in the event.
Tigst Assefa Personal Life
Tigst Assefa is from the Oromia Region of Ethiopia and is married to Eyob Elias. Like many of her country’s elite runners, she trains at altitude in Ethiopia, guided by her coach, Gemedu Dedefo, alongside other top Ethiopian athletes. Known for her humility and her focus, she has spoken about there being no secret to her success beyond hard work. She has generally kept her personal life relatively private, focusing her public identity on her running career and her remarkable achievements on the world stage.
Tigst Assefa Height and Physical Profile
Tigst Assefa stands 1.67 metres, or 5 feet 6 inches, tall, with the lean, efficient build of an elite marathon runner. Her combination of natural speed, carried over from her middle-distance background, endurance and altitude-trained conditioning has been central to her ability to run some of the fastest women’s marathon times in history and to compete at the front of the world’s biggest races.
Tigst Assefa Net Worth and Earnings
Tigst Assefa earns her income through professional distance running, including significant prize money from her major marathon victories, appearance fees, world-record and time bonuses, and sponsorships, particularly following her record-breaking performances. A precise, reliably verified net-worth figure is not established in the public record, and this profile does not put one forward, as figures for athletes vary and are often unofficial. Her earnings derive from her race winnings, bonuses and endorsements.
| Source | Detail |
| Net worth | Not reliably documented (treat estimates with caution) |
| Main income sources | Her race winnings, bonuses and sponsorships |
Tigst Assefa Social Media
Tigst Assefa is a globally prominent figure in distance running, and news and results relating to her are widely reported through athletics media and the organisers of the major marathons she competes in.
| Platform | Handle | Notes |
| Public information | World Athletics and athletics media | How news about her is reported |
| Race organisers | The major marathons she competes in | Where her results are featured |
Tigst Assefa Controversies
No controversy involving Tigst Assefa surfaced in the material examined for this profile. Coverage of her has focused entirely on her running career, her world record, her major marathon titles and her global championship medals, and she has been widely admired for her achievements and her sportsmanship.
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Lesser Known Facts About Tigst Assefa
- Her full name is Tigst Assefa Tessema.
- She was born in Holeta, in Ethiopia’s Oromia Region.
- She began her career as an 800-metre middle-distance runner.
- She won the Berlin Marathon in 2022, 2023 and 2026.
- She broke the women’s marathon world record in 2023.
- She won Olympic marathon silver in Paris in 2024.
- She won her third Berlin title in a course-record 2:11:04.
Tigst Assefa FAQ
Who is Tigst Assefa?
She is an Ethiopian long-distance runner, a three-time Berlin Marathon champion and a former women’s marathon world record holder.
How old is Tigst Assefa?
Born on 3 December 1996, she is 29 years old in 2026.
What is Tigst Assefa best known for?
She is best known for breaking the women’s marathon world record at the 2023 Berlin Marathon and for her dominance in the event.
What is Tigst Assefa’s marathon personal best?
Her marathon personal best is 2:11:04, run while winning the 2026 Berlin Marathon.
How many times has Tigst Assefa won the Berlin Marathon?
She has won the Berlin Marathon three times, in 2022, 2023 and 2026.
Did Tigst Assefa win an Olympic medal?
Yes, she won a silver medal in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
What happened at the 2026 Berlin Marathon?
She won her third Berlin title in a course-record 2:11:04, narrowly missing the world record after an apparent late-race injury.
Where is Tigst Assefa from?
She was born in Holeta, in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia.
Did Tigst Assefa run other events before the marathon?
Yes, she began her career as a middle-distance runner, competing over 800 metres, before switching to the marathon.
What is Tigst Assefa’s world record time?
She set a world record of 2:11:53 at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, which stood as the women’s marathon record at the time.
Sources
World Athletics, World record-breaker Assefa headlines Berlin Marathon field,
https://worldathletics.org/news/preview/berlin-marathon-2026-assefa-wanjiru-adola-geay
Olympics.com, Berlin Marathon 2026: Ethiopia shines as Tigst Assefa narrowly misses world record,
https://www.olympics.com/en/news/berlin-marathon-2026-ethiopia-shines-as-tigst-assefa-narrowly-misses-world-record-and-guye-adola-claims-second-title
NBC Sports, Berlin Marathon 2026: Tigst Assefa challenges world record, runs No. 3 time in history,
https://www.nbcsports.com/olympics/news/berlin-marathon-2026-tigst-assefa-challenges-world-record-runs-no-3-time-in-history
Marathon Handbook, Berlin Marathon 2026: Tigst Assefa Runs 2:11:04 Course Record,
https://marathonhandbook.com/tigst-assefa-wins-berlin-marathon-course-record/