With the introduction of the new half marathon and marathon disciplines, the Lusatian Race Walking event in Zittau, Germany, on Saturday (25) provides an early opportunity for some of Europe’s leading athletes to seek qualifying times for the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships, which will take place from 10–16 August next year.
Birmingham 2026 will mark the first time these new events are contested at the European Athletics Championships, and a strong field is set for Zittau — with many athletes undoubtedly having an eye on next year’s showpiece event at this World Race Walking Tour Silver meeting.
Olympic and world medallists entered
Among the entries are Polish race walkers Dawid Tomala, the Tokyo Olympic champion over 50km, and Katarzyna Zdziebło, silver medallist in both the 20km and 35km events at the Oregon 2022 World Athletics Championships and at the Munich 2022 European Athletics Championships. They will be tackling the men’s and women’s marathon races respectively.
Germany’s best hopes are Leo Köpp and Nathaniel Seiler, both of whom have eighth-place finishes at the European Athletics Championships on their résumés — Köpp over 20km at Rome 2024 and Seiler over 50km at Berlin 2018. Köpp is entered for the men’s half marathon and Seiler for the women’s half marathon.
The Italian challenge will be led by Andrea Agrusti in the men’s marathon and 19-year-old Giulia Gabriele. Agrusti, who won bronze in the 50km at the Poděbrady 2021 European Race Walking Team Championships, will compete in the men’s marathon, while the emerging Gabriele — bronze medallist over 10,000m at the Bergen 2025 European Athletics U23 Championships — will line up for the women’s half marathon.
National 10,000m champion Jaromír Morávek will be one of Czechia's best hopes for success in the marathon.