European Athletics President Dobromir Karamarinov praised RunCzech’s EuroHeroes series as “a project that gives exclusive support to European runners and motivates them.
“These races give our athletes a unique opportunity to succeed, shine, and gain public recognition,” he added as the overall winners of the 2025 season were crowned on Thursday 27 November.
At the gala ceremony in Prague, Hungary’s Nóra Szabó and the Netherlands’ Khalid Choukoud were announced as the new EuroHeroes champions after topping the points standings across four Czech half marathons.
“I am really happy to win EuroHeroes on my third attempt,” said Szabó, the Hungarian marathon record holder. “I felt in great shape this season and believed in victory. I always love racing in Czechia and I truly appreciate the opportunity to be part of this project.”
Celebrate local heroes
The 2025 series featured 69 elite athletes from 14 European countries, with each runner’s two best performances converted into points using the Hungarian scoring tables to determine the final rankings.
RunCzech chairman Carlo Capalbo summed up the mission: “Our goal is to help European runners succeed on the world stage, celebrate local heroes, build fan bases, and inspire future generations.”
Since its pilot launch in 2018 and first full season in 2019, EuroHeroes has hosted a total of 380 elite athletes from 25 countries, continuing the tradition of European distance-running excellence.
The uniquely European series showcases four historic Czech cities — Karlovy Vary, České Budějovice, Olomouc, and Ústí nad Labem — with each race holding a World Athletics Road Race Label.
Entry to the elite field remains exclusively open to European athletes, reinforcing the project’s mission to develop and elevate continental talent.
The 2026 EuroHeroes season begins on May 16 in Karlovy Vary.