Running News Daily

Ethiopian marathon star Tigst Assefa has delivered a powerful message from her hospital bed after undergoing successful surgery on a completely ruptured right Achilles tendon suffered during her extraordinary victory at the 2026 BMW Berlin Marathon.

The 29-year-old produced one of the most remarkable performances of her career, winning the women’s race in 2:11:04 and setting a new Berlin Marathon course record. Her performance became even more extraordinary after it emerged that she suffered the serious injury during the closing stages of the race.

At around the 40-kilometre mark, Assefa developed a problem with her right leg, with her stride visibly affected as she approached the finish. Despite the severe discomfort, the Ethiopian refused to abandon the race.

She fought through the final kilometres and crossed the finish line to secure another memorable Berlin victory, before receiving immediate medical attention. Medical examinations later confirmed a complete rupture of her right Achilles tendon.

Assefa was subsequently taken for treatment in Germany and underwent successful surgery at a hospital south of Munich. She now faces the challenging rehabilitation process required to return to elite competition.

In her first message since the operation, Assefa expressed her heartfelt gratitude to supporters around the world who have sent messages of encouragement and concern.

She thanked the global running community for standing beside her during the difficult period, saying she was deeply moved by the tremendous support she had received.

But the most striking part of her message was her determination to look beyond the injury and towards the future.

“I will definitely return to Berlin, and then I will break the world record,” Assefa said.

The declaration underlines the extraordinary ambition that has defined her marathon career. Berlin has played a particularly important role in her rise to the top of the sport.

Assefa first won the Berlin Marathon in 2022 before producing a historic performance the following year, when she ran 2:11:53 to establish a then-world record.

Although the women's marathon world record has since been lowered to 2:09:56, Assefa remains one of the most formidable marathoners in history. Her latest 2:11:04 victory also stands as the fastest women's performance ever recorded on the Berlin Marathon course.

Her latest triumph therefore carries a remarkable mixture of achievement and adversity. She not only secured the victory and course record but did so while suffering an injury that ultimately required surgery.

Now, a different race begins for the Ethiopian superstar — one that will demand patience, rehabilitation and resilience rather than simply speed and endurance.

Whether she can return to her best remains a question for the future, but Assefa's message has already made her intentions unmistakably clear.

Berlin may have witnessed her latest triumph, but Tigst Assefa believes her unfinished business with the German capital has only just begun.