Ethiopian marathon star Tigst Assefa is set to undergo surgery in Munich after suffering a suspected ruptured tendon in her right leg during the closing stages of the 2026 BMW Berlin Marathon held on Sunday, 27 September.Assefa had been on course to challenge Ruth Chepngetich’s women’s marathon world record of 2:09:56 before the injury struck with about two kilometres remaining.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsDespite visibly struggling and limping towards the finish, the 29-year-old held on to win in a sensational 2:11:04, setting a new Berlin course record and recording the third-fastest women’s marathon time in history.However, the performance came at a significant cost, with the injury expected to keep her out of competition for at least six months.##NAJAVA_MECA_9984464##Assefa was flown to hospital immediately after the race for specialist orthopaedic treatment. Her manager, Gianni Demadonna, confirmed that she will undergo surgery in Munich with the support of Adidas and under the care of renowned foot and ankle surgeon Dr Johannes Gabel.“The right tendon is broken… she will undergo surgery tomorrow (Monday) in Munich with full assistance from Adidas and with Dr Johannes Gabel, one of the best surgeons in Germany,” Demadonna told PuraVida Sports Africa.Gabel is Chief Physician of Foot and Ankle Surgery at BG Unfallklinik Murnau, one of Germany’s leading trauma centres, and specialises in complex joint and ankle injuries.Assefa threatens Chepngetich's World record in Berlin as Adola reclaims titleThe injury brought an abrupt end to what had been a remarkable world-record bid by Assefa.She went through the majority of the race at record pace and was projected to finish in approximately 2:09:44. But her pace dropped sharply in the final two kilometres as she began limping.Assefa covered the closing stretch in 8:04 before crossing the finish line in 2:11:04. She collapsed shortly afterwards but had done enough to secure victory and rewrite the Berlin course record.Her winning time was 68 seconds outside Chepngetich’s world record but 49 seconds faster than her previous personal best.The performance also moved Assefa into third place on the all-time women’s marathon list, behind Chepngetich’s 2:09:56 and fellow Ethiopian Fotyen Tesfay’s 2:10:51, which she ran in Barcelona earlier this year.Medugu, Morwabe finish on the podium as Cross Country Tour kicks off in LidingöAssefa now owns the third- and fourth-fastest marathon times in history.The Ethiopian had previously set the women’s marathon world record in Berlin in 2023, when she clocked 2:11:53.Demadonna said Assefa faces a lengthy recovery and is unlikely to return to competitive racing until next year.
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