Sahar Shagiv withdraws from the European Triathlon Championships

Israeli Olympic triathlete Sahar Shagiv was forced to retire on Friday night during the European Triathlon Championships in Tarragona, Spain, after pain in his right foot flared up in the opening kilometer of the run. The discomfort was linked to an injury that had troubled him in the period leading up to the competition.

The race was Shagiv’s first of the season, and he had hoped it would provide a positive start to his road toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The event used the Olympic-distance format, with 1.5 km of swimming, 10 km of running and 40 km of cycling, and included 65 competitors.

Shagiv emerged from the swim in 25th place. During the bike leg, he was in the first peloton after three laps, but in the final third of the cycling section five athletes broke away and left him behind. He then started the run and soon had to stop because of the pain.

In the coming days, Shagiv and his team will decide whether he can continue to the next competitions or should return to Israel for medical treatment.