Israel wins historic men’s team marathon gold at European Athletics Championships
“Our athletes demonstrated determination, dedication and exceptional teamwork that brought immense honor and a source of national pride to the State of Israel"
Israel claimed the men’s team marathon gold medal at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, edging Germany by 34 seconds in the cumulative standings.
The Israeli team recorded a combined time of 6 hours, 28 minutes and 37 seconds, with the three fastest Israeli finishers determining the final team result.
Gashau Ayale led the Israeli effort with a standout individual performance, finishing third in 2:09:21 to take the bronze medal. He finished just 10 seconds behind Germany’s Amanal Petros, who won the individual title and set the course record.
Tadesse Getahon crossed the line 10 seconds after Ayale to finish fifth, while Haimro Alame placed eighth. Their results secured Israel’s first place in the team competition and the European title.
Three additional Israeli runners also competed, finishing 12th, 22nd and 35th.
The victory marks Israel’s first medal at this edition of the European Athletics Championships, which conclude Sunday in Birmingham. The team gold, combined with Ayale’s individual bronze, gives the Israeli delegation one of the competition’s standout achievements.
Prime Minister Netanyahu congratulated the team, describing the victory as historic and praising the athletes for their determination, dedication and teamwork.
“Our athletes demonstrated determination, dedication and exceptional teamwork that brought immense honor and a source of national pride to the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said, congratulating the runners on their achievement.