World-record holder Tigist Assefa expects to run another rapid time in her London Marathon debut but the Ethiopian star says victory is far more important than the clock.
The 27-year-old stunned athletics by running 2:11:53 in Berlin last September. And while that was in a mixed race, allowing her to use a pack of male runners for pacing, Assefa believes the women’s only record of 2:17:01 is primed to fall on Sunday morning.
The deepest field of all time has been assembled, with three of the four fastest women in history and seven who have run under 2:17:30. But asked if her sights are set on the record, a bullish Assefa simply declared: “I’m here to win.”
She faces stiff competition from Kenyan duo Brigid Kosgei and Ruth Chepngetich, who are third and fourth on the all-time list, while their compatriot and Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir is looking to improve on last year’s third.
A moderate breeze is forecasted but Mary Keitany’s 2:17:01 women’s only time, set in London seven years ago, should fall - if the leading women work together.
Assefa says she sees “no difference” between women’s only and mixed races, despite times indicating otherwise.
And she is calling on the Kenyan and Ethiopian stars to pace each other to hit the desired pace - before planning to blow the competition away in the latter stages. “My fellow athletes can help me and I can help them in terms of pacing,” she says.
Assefa has been clocking north of 120 miles a week in training and earlier this week watched the 2023 race in full to help familiarise herself with the course. She says she has been training at the same level to her Berlin build-up and while this course may not be as blisteringly fast, long-term the 27-year-old believes that she can run sub-2:10.
And rather than feeling the pressure of being a target to be shot at, Assefa says: “It’s given me confidence. It’s the biggest factor for me. What people have said since Berlin has added to that confidence. That’s much more important than any pressure.”
She will wear the same controversial Adidas Pro Evo 1 shoes, which carry a retail price of £450 but last for one race. “These are just lighter than my previous shoes,” she says, though as the technology war between brands wages on Adidas’ latest model appears to be the current market leader.
Assefa's world record is also not yet ratified - with an asterisk appearing next to her name on the World Athletics list. She is unsure why there has been a delay and says: "That's World Athletics' job. I've just been concentrated on my training. I'm sure it will be ratified soon."
Becky Briggs and Alice Wright are the fastest Brits in the field, though their personal bests are almost three minutes off the Olympic standard of 2:26:50. Charlotte Purdue, who has already been named in the Paris team alongside Calli Thackery, will be among the pacers.
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