Fotyen Tesfay Runs Historic 2:10:51 to Win Barcelona Marathon on Debut

Ethiopia’s Fotyen Tesfay delivered one of the most remarkable marathon debuts in athletics history on Sunday, winning the Zurich Barcelona Marathon with a stunning time of 2:10:51, the second‑fastest women’s marathon performance of all time.

The 28‑year‑old distance runner dominated the race from early on, finishing nearly eight minutes ahead of her closest challenger and setting the fastest women’s marathon debut ever recorded.

Tesfay entered the race already known as the third‑fastest women’s half marathon runner in history, but her performance in Barcelona confirmed her transition to the marathon distance with extraordinary impact.

The event, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, attracted a strong international field, yet Tesfay controlled the pace throughout the race.

A Debut for the History Books

Tesfay began aggressively, covering the first 10 kilometers in 31:05 while running alongside two male pacemakers.

The pace intensified as the race progressed, with Tesfay reaching the halfway mark in 1:05:05, putting her on track for one of the fastest marathon times ever recorded.

By the 30 km mark, she had clocked 1:32:00, maintaining a relentless rhythm that kept her within range of the women’s marathon world record of 2:09:56, set by Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich at the Chicago Marathon in 2024.

Tesfay pushed strongly through the closing stages and crossed 40 km in 2:03:31, still within striking distance of the record.

Although strong winds slowed her late surge, Tesfay crossed the finish line in 2:10:51, securing:

• Victory at the Barcelona Marathon

• The fastest women’s marathon debut ever

• An Ethiopian national record

• The second‑fastest women’s marathon performance in history

Tesfay Eyes World Record Next

Speaking after the race, Tesfay revealed she had entered the competition with ambitions of attacking the world record.

“Today was fantastic — not what I was expecting, but it is good,” she said through an interpreter.

“My plan was to attack the world record but today there was a lot of wind. I was not able to push in the last part of the race. Today I did not succeed, but in the next marathon I would like to try for the world record.”

The performance signals the arrival of a new major contender in women’s marathon running.

Tesfay had previously finished seventh in the 10,000 meters at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and eighth at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025, but her Barcelona victory suggests her strongest future may lie over the marathon distance.

Podium Finishers in the Women’s Race

Kenya’s Joan Jepkosgei Kiplimo finished a distant second in 2:18:42, while Ethiopia’s Zeineba Yimer claimed third place with a time of 2:18:49.

Other top finishers included:

4. Chaltu Chimdesa Kumsa (ETH) – 2:23:32

5. Yalganesh Eskamech Gedefa (ETH) – 2:24:05

Chelangat Wins Men’s Race in Tight Finish

In the men’s race, Uganda’s Abel Chelangat claimed victory in 2:04:57, edging out Kenya’s Patrick Mosin in a dramatic closing stretch.

Chelangat and Mosin ran together for much of the race before Chelangat made his decisive move near the 40 km mark, accelerating past Mosin at a water station and pulling away in the final kilometers.

Mosin finished just four seconds behind in 2:05:01, while Kenya’s Jonathan Samanayo Korir completed the podium in 2:05:29.

Barcelona Marathon Delivers Elite Performances

The Zurich Barcelona Marathon continues to strengthen its reputation as one of Europe’s fastest marathon courses, regularly producing world‑class times and breakthrough performances.

For Tesfay, the race marks the beginning of what could become one of the most exciting marathon careers in modern distance running.

If her debut is any indication, the women’s marathon world record may soon face another serious challenge.

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