Israel Wins Third Consecutive European Marathon Team Championship in Birmingham

The Israeli men's marathon team secured their third consecutive European team championship at the European Athletics Championships held in Birmingham. The team, featuring standout runner Gashau Ayale who earned a bronze medal with a personal time of 2:09:21, outpaced strong competitors from Germany and France on a challenging urban course of eight laps. Alongside Ayale, teammates Tedesa Geta and Eymeru Almeya contributed crucial top-10 finishes, with Geta placing fifth and Almeya eighth, culminating in a combined team time of 6:28:37 that clinched the gold.

This victory follows Israel's previous team golds at the 2022 Munich and 2024 Rome European Championships, underscoring the country's growing prominence in marathon running. The team also included World Championship silver medalist Maru Teferi, Bokayo Melda, and Yetayew Abuhay, who maintained a disciplined pack for most of the 42.2-kilometer race before breaking away after 35 kilometers.

In the women's marathon, Salomé Biwott-Teferi, in only her second career marathon, delivered an impressive performance finishing 11th with a time of 2:28:26. Her husband, Maru Teferi, was part of the men's winning team. Maor Tiuri finished closely behind in 12th place, while replacement runner Mentamer Bikaya finished further back. Additionally, in the 10,000 meters event, Derja Chekula placed 14th and Zmano Motcha 19th.

The Israeli team's success in Birmingham highlights their sustained excellence and growing reputation in European long-distance running events.