Addis Ababa, March 15, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopian long-distance runner Fotyen Tesfay delivered a historic performance on Sunday, winning the Barcelona Marathon with the second-fastest women’s marathon time ever recorded.
Competing in her first marathon, the 28-year-old Ethiopian crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 53 seconds, producing one of the fastest performances in the history of women’s marathon running.
Tesfay’s remarkable time also stands as the fastest marathon debut ever recorded, placing her second on the all-time list of women’s marathon performances. Her result came 57 seconds short of the current world record of 2:09:56, held by Kenya’s Ruth Chepng’etich.
Speaking after the race, Tesfay said she had hoped to challenge the world record but was affected by strong winds during the latter stages of the race.
“Today was fantastic — not what I was expecting, but it is good,” she said through an interpreter, noting that windy conditions prevented her from pushing harder in the final kilometers.
Tesfay finished well ahead of Kenya’s Joan Jepkosgei Kiplimo, who came second nearly eight minutes later, while Ethiopia’s Zeineba Yimer secured third place.
In the men’s race, Uganda’s Abel Chelangat claimed victory with a time of 2:04:57, finishing ahead of Kenya’s Patrick Mosin and Jonathan Korir.
Tesfay, who has previously excelled in both track and road racing, also competed in the women’s 10,000-meter event at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Her historic victory in Barcelona further reinforces Ethiopia’s long-standing reputation as a global powerhouse in long-distance running.