Israeli Men’s Marathon Team Wins European Championship Gold, Ayala Earns Individual Bronze

The Israeli men's marathon team secured the gold medal in the team competition at the European Athletics Championships held in Birmingham on August 16, 2026. This marks the second consecutive European title for the Israeli team. The victory was powered by four Israeli runners finishing among the top eight, including Gashaw Ayala who earned an individual bronze medal with a time of 2:09:21. Other top Israeli finishers were Tedesa Getahon in fifth place and Aymeru Alma in eighth.

The individual gold medal went to Germany’s Amanuel Petros, who finished with a time of 2:09:11, while Italy’s Pietro Riva took silver at 2:09:18. Ayala, who also won the European marathon championship in 2022, celebrated another major personal achievement with his bronze medal this year. The team’s collective performance was highlighted as a significant accomplishment, reinforcing Israel’s strength in European marathon running.