Close Finish and Tributes Mark Hadera Marathon
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Sahar Ashal won the men's 10 km race in a close finish.
- Ksenia Kovalskaya, 17, won the women's 10 km race.
- The marathon included tributes to victims of recent conflicts.
- Approximately 1,300 runners participated in the event.
- The Mayor of Hadera praised the marathon as a major sporting celebration.
The annual WINNER Hadera Marathon took place on Friday at the city's Eco Park, drawing approximately 1,300 participants of all ages and skill levels. The event featured competitive 10 km and 5 km races, alongside a 2 km community run.
The men's 10 km race concluded with a dramatic sprint between Sahar Ashal and Gezachu Fenta, with Ashal ultimately securing victory in 32:48 minutes. Fenta, the Israeli national record holder for the 100 km ultra-marathon, finished nine seconds behind, followed by Yossi Gross in third place with a time of 33:09.
In the women's 10 km, 17-year-old Ksenia Kovalskaya dominated, winning with a time of 38:40. Roni Viscopf, a member of the Israeli youth triathlon team, took second place, and Helen Wolfson, a European Marathon Championship medalist returning from injury, finished third.
The 5 km race saw triathlete Roi Cohen win the men's division, while Rotem Salibek claimed victory in the women's division. Among the participants was Paolo Reis, the professional director of Benfica Lisbon, who is collaborating with Hapoel Hadera.
In a poignant moment ahead of the anniversary of the October 7th massacre, several runners paid tribute to victims and fallen soldiers. One such tribute was dedicated to Captain Yarden Zakai, a local resident who fell in the recent conflict in Gaza.
Mayor of Hadera, Nir Ben Haim, who participated in the 2 km race and started the 5 km race, praised the event for bringing runners from across the country and fostering a "great celebration of sport." He highlighted the city's commitment to promoting sports as a way of life.
The marathon was organized by the Hadera Municipality's Culture and Sports Department in collaboration with Schwung Sports Events. The city is set to host another major sporting event next Friday, the Hadera swimming race in memory of Yitzhak "Kushi" Afgin.
Read the original at MakoMentioned
