Israel Sends 18 Athletes to 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham

On August 10, 2002, Alex Averbukh made Israeli sports history by winning the European pole vault title in Munich, 30 years after the tragic Munich massacre. Now, 24 years later, the 2026 European Athletics Championships open in Birmingham, where Israel will compete with a team of 18 athletes, all homegrown without naturalized citizens. Despite the absence of many top athletes and injuries to key competitors Luna Salpeter and Blessing Afrifah, Israeli athletes aim to create new memorable moments.

Among the participants, Adva Cohen (3000m steeplechase) will seek to improve on her fifth-place finish from 2018 and celebrate her 30th birthday with a strong performance. Jonathan Kapitolnik (high jump), a former youth world and European champion, hopes to reach the final despite recent injuries and coaching changes. Shagai Lamdiel (110m hurdles) and Omri Shiff (400m hurdles) aim to challenge their national records, with Shiff targeting a return to sub-50 seconds.

Other notable athletes include Estelle Velano (discus), who holds the second-best Israeli mark, and Gal Ard (200m), stepping up in Afrifah's absence. Matan Ivri (1500m) has recently improved his personal best significantly and could reach the semifinals. Darja Chekula and Zamno Motcha will compete in the 10,000m, aiming to better their personal road race times on the track.

The men's marathon team, featuring Maru Teferi, Gashau Ayale, and Eymeru Almaya, all ranked in the top ten, will compete for both individual and team medals. The previous championship featured only a half marathon, where Israel won silver. On the women's side, Salomvit Teferi will run her second marathon after two childbirths, aiming for a top-ten finish, while Maor Tiyuri targets a top-15 placement. Mintmar Bikaya joins the team due to Salpeter's injury.

This championship marks a new chapter for Israeli athletics, focusing on athletes developed entirely within Israel, striving for personal bests and national records amid a competitive European field.