Guye Adola and Tigst Assefa win 2026 Berlin Marathon
Ethiopia's Guye Adola won the men's race in 2:02:51, breaking the 2:03 barrier, while compatriot Tigst Assefa set a course record of 2:11:04 to win the
Guye Adola of Ethiopia won the men’s race at the 2026 Berlin Marathon in 2:02:51, breaking the 2:03 barrier. Tigst Assefa claimed the women’s crown with a time of 2:11:04, setting a new course record in the process. The event, the 52nd edition of the race, took place on Sunday, Sept. 27, with more than 56,000 participants expected.
Adola secured his second Berlin Marathon victory, his first coming in 2021, with a personal best performance. He won by 29 seconds over fellow Ethiopian Gemechu Dida Diriba, who finished second in 2:03:19. Adola dropped from the lead group after 25 kilometres but powered back for a dominant win.
Gabriel Gerald Geay of Tanzania placed third with a time of 2:03:59. The top ten men's finishers were:
| Position | Name | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guye Adola | ETH | 2:02:51 |
| 2 | Gemechu Dida Diriba | ETH | 2:03:19 |
| 3 | Gabriel Gerald Geay | TAN | 2:03:59 |
| 4 | Getaneh Molla | ETH | 2:04:55 |
| 5 | Selemon Barega | ETH | 2:04:59 |
| 6 | Asefa Boki | ETH | 2:05:33 |
| 7 | Andamlak Belihu | ETH | 2:05:54 |
| 8 | Shura Kitata | JPN | 2:06:04 |
| 9 | Yuhei Urano | JPN | 2:06:09 |
| 10 | Tadu Abate | ETH | 2:07:16 |
Four Japanese men finished in the top fifteen. Sabastian Sawe, the 2025 men's champion, withdrew in August due to a stress fracture.
Women's Elite Dominance
Tigst Assefa's winning time of 2:11:04 is the third-fastest women's marathon ever recorded. She finished 1:08 slower than Ruth Chepngetich's world record of 2:09:56. At the 40-kilometre mark, Assefa was ahead of the world-record pace before slowing in the final two kilometres.
Bedatu Hirpa finished second, 5:49 behind Assefa, in 2:16:53. Dera Dida was third, just two seconds behind Hirpa, in 2:16:55. The defending champion, Rosemary Wanjiru, was second at halfway but ended in 13th place with a time of 2:24:04.
| Position | Name | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tigst Assefa | ETH | 2:11:04 |
| 2 | Bedatu Hirpa | ETH | 2:16:53 |
| 3 | Dera Dida | ETH | 2:16:55 |
| 4 | Bekelech Gudeta | ETH | 2:18:58 |
| 5 | Alemitu Tariku | ETH | 2:19:01 |
| 6 | Pascaline Jelagat | KEN | 2:20:23 |
| 7 | Misgane Alemayehu | ETH | 2:20:27 |
| 8 | Ludwina Chepngetich | KEN | 2:21:25 |
| 9 | Evaline Chirchir | KEN | 2:21:32 |
| 10 | Aminet Ahmed | ETH | 2:21:45 |
Wheelchair Race Highlights
Swiss athletes swept the wheelchair titles. Marcel Hug won the men's division in 1:23:28. Catherine Debrunner took the women's race in 1:35:01.
Sho Watanabe of Japan and Lito King Anker of the Netherlands tied for second in the men's race, both clocking 1:29:26. Manuela Schär of Switzerland finished second in the women's race in 1:41:53, with Britain's Eden Rainbow-Cooper third in 1:44:51.
The 2026 Berlin Marathon delivered a historic women's performance and a dominant Ethiopian men's win, highlighting emerging talent and record-breaking potential for the upcoming season.
