Aperipha Takes Second in Jerusalem Grand Slam 200m as Israel Hosts Major Meet

The Jerusalem Grand Slam athletics meet took place on Thursday at Givat Ram Stadium in Jerusalem, drawing about 1,800 spectators and bringing 71 athletes from 29 countries to Israel for the country's largest international sports event since the end of Operation Lion's Roar. The competition ran alongside a family Fun Zone and live interviews from Eldan's transparent studio in the expo area, highlighting a full day of local and world-class track and field.

In the men's 200 meters, South Africa's Cheswill Johnson won in a personal best 20.26 seconds, while Israeli athlete Lanseny Aperipha finished second in 20.36 and Lithuania's Gediminas Truskauskas was third in 20.59. In other men's finals, Jonathan Kapitolnik of Israel tied for second in the high jump with 2.21 meters, sharing the mark with American winner Casson Oriley, while the discus was won by Greece's Demetrios Pavlidis with 63.14 meters.

Israeli athletes also delivered several strong results. Yeshi Ipermov took third in the men's long jump with 7.68 meters, Noa Levi set a personal best of 57.47 seconds to finish second in the women's 400-meter hurdles, and Romi Tamir and Mili Tonkel both set personal bests to take second and third in the women's long jump. Estelle Valano finished second in the women's discus, and Marcy Aperipha was third in the women's 200 meters.

Among the women's winners, Emma Ropshita won the 100 meters in 11.46 seconds, Maike Tjin-A-Lim of the Netherlands took the 100-meter hurdles in 12.72, and Irish? no, Moldovan Alexandra Emilianov won the discus with 58.90 meters. In the 1500 meters, Ahebatem Gebanyau Alagan won in 4:12.71. Organizers said the turnout proved that the Jerusalem Grand Slam is “much more than an athletics competition,” and that hosting 71 athletes from 29 countries during such a difficult period showed that “Israeli sport does not stop.”