Tigst Assefa started her athletics career as an 800m runner at the age of teenager, representing her nation at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Although she didn’t advance past the qualifying rounds, the experience was invaluable. Following a two-year break to recover from an Achilles tendon injury, Assefa switched to road racing and made her 10k debut in Dubai in 2018, finishing in 34:35. She improved her time by nearly three minutes in 2019 and made her half marathon debut in Valencia, Spain, running an impressive 1:08:25.
Another two-year break came due to the global pandemic, but Assefa returned under the guidance of coach Gemedu Dedefo, who has also coached world champion Tamirat Tola. This preparation led to Assefa’s marathon debut in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in March 2022, where she finished in 2:34:01 despite not being fully fit. Six months later, Assefa achieved a stunning victory at the Berlin Marathon, finishing in a time of 2:15:37, the third fastest time in history. Her coach praised her performance, calling her the fastest woman he had ever seen.
Assefa’s incredible achievement made her the fastest woman ever. When asked about her chances for the Paris Olympics, she remained humble and stated that the decision was in the hands of committee members but expressed her hope to participate in the Games.
Overall, Tigst Assefa’s success can be attributed to hard work and determination. With every race she runs and every challenge she overcomes