Women's Marathon 2023: World record falls as new stars are born

The first of two marathon landmarks in 2023 took place in Berlin on 24 September as Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa retained her title in stupendous fashion by shattering the women's world record, clocking 2:11:53.

The 27-year-old Ethiopian, who moved from track to road running in 2018, had created a stir in 2022 by knocking 18 minutes off her personal best. 

Her performance a year on was seismic as she took more than two minutes off the previous mark of 2:14:04 set by Kenya's Brigid Kosgei at the 2019 Chicago Marathon.

Year in review: Kenya dominates half marathon on the world stage

The former 800m runner's winning time in Berlin last year of 2:15:17 was then the third-fastest ever recorded; upon her return she set the 13th world record to be witnessed in this race. 

Assefa finished almost six minutes clear of the second runner home, Kenya’s 2022 Commonwealth bronze medallist Sheila Chepkirui, who clocked 2:17:49.

Not bad for someone who had only taken up marathon running the previous year – and a performance that earned Assefa the World Athlete of the Year award in the out of stadia category.

The women’s title in Chicago was won by a fellow newcomer to the distance, Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, whose time of 2:13:44 would have been a world record had it been set just over a fortnight earlier.

The 30-year-old Dutch runner had made her marathon debut in London on 23 April, winning in 2:18:33 despite losing contact with the leaders after stopping to stretch and being 28 seconds adrift at the 25km mark.

In between her two marathons Hassan competed at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, falling metres from the line when apparently poised to regain the 10,000m title she had won in 2019, and earning silver in the 5000m and bronze in the 1500m. 

The marathon title in Budapest was won by Amane Beriso Shankule, who clocked 2:24:23 ahead of her Ethiopian compatriot Gotytom Gebreslase.

Hassan’s triumph in Chicago frustrated the ambition of Kenya’s 2019 world champion Ruth Chepngetich to earn a third consecutive victory. The latter’s time of 2:15:37 as runner-up was the third fastest of the year.

Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa and Almaz Ayana occupy fourth and fifth places on the season top list after finishing as respective winner and runner-up at the Valencia Marathon on 3 December in 2:15:51 and 2:16:22.

Kenya’s 34-year-old two-time world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri also had a spectacular year on track and road. Having finished sixth in her marathon debut at the 2022 New York City race, Obiri won the Boston Marathon on 17 April in a personal best of 2:21:38.

On 5 November she won the New York City Marathon in 2:27:23, just six seconds ahead of the Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey, who had narrowly beaten her to the world 10,000m title in Oregon the previous year.

Ebenyo earns world medal in spectacular 2023 season

Major winners

World Championships: Amane Beriso Shankule (ETH) 2:24:23

Osaka: Haven Hailu Desse (ETH) 2:21:13

Tokyo: Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN) 2:16:28

Nagoya: Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:18:08

Xiamen: Meseret Abebayahau (ETH) 2:24:42

Boston: Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:21:38

London: Sifan Hassan (NED) 2:18:33

Sydney: Betsy Saina (USA) 2:26:47

Berlin: Tigist Assefa (ETH) 2:11:53

Chicago: Sifan Hassan (NED) 2:13:44

Amsterdam: Meseret Belete (ETH) 2:18:21

New York City: Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:27:23

Shanghai: Siranesh Yirga (ETH) 2:21:28

Valencia: Worknesh Degefa (ETH) 2:15:51

By World Athletics