World and European silver medallist Maru Teferi heads the entries for the men’s marathon at the European Running Championships in Brussels-Leuven on 12-13 April.
The European Running Championships will be streamed live from start to finish with English-language commentary on the European Athletics website.
Teferi was runner-up at the Munich 2022 European Athletics Championships when he was run down in the very late stages by an inspired German Richard Ringer before repeating the feat at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
The Ethiopian-born Israel solidified his championship credentials by finishing fourth in the half marathon at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome although the 32-year-old would have been slightly disappointed only to finish 26th in the marathon at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Since then, Teferi has regrouped with a third-place finish in the Amsterdam Marathon in 2:05:42 before clocking a national record of 2:04:44 just six weeks later to finish seventh in the Valencia Marathon. This means Teferi, whose wife Selamawit is also an international-level distance runner, will be contesting an ambitious fourth marathon in eight months.
He will be joined by teammate Gashau Ayale, who won bronze behind Teferi in Munich 2022. Ayale ran a lifetime best of 2:04:53 in Seville last year and arrives fresh from setting a national record of 59:59 in the Lisbon Half Marathon last month.
And the Israelis begin as the overwhelming favourites to reclaim the team title they won in 2022. Their team also includes Haimro Alame (2:06:04 PB), Godadaw Belachew (2:07:45) Yitayew Abuhay (2:07:26) and Bukayawe Malede (2:07:40).
Ozbilen is fastest in the field
In the 43-strong field representing 23 countries. Türkiye’s former European record-holder Kaan Kigen Özbilen is the fastest among the entrants with a marathon best of 2:04:16 dating back to the 2019 Valencia Marathon.
He is an athlete of significant pedigree, winning the men’s race at the 2017 SPAR European Cross Country Championships as well as silver in the half marathon at the 2016 European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam.
In more recent times, the 39-year-old was a DNF in the marathon at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games but clocked 2:08:36 in the Doha Marathon in January to show he still has plenty of running left in his legs.
The Turkish team also features fellow Kenyan-born runner and namesake Ilham Tanui Ozbilen, a former world and European indoor 1500m medallist who has ownership of a 2:08:36 lifetime best for the classic distance.
Navarro leads French medal bid
The French challenge will be led by the experienced Nicolas Navarro. Fifth in the marathon at Munich 2022, 12th at the Tokyo Olympics and 16th at the Paris Olympics, he will be striving to be at the sharp end of the race which begins in Brussels and concludes in Leuven.
With a lifetime best of 2:05:53 from Valencia in December 2023, he has sufficient speed to contend too.
Also in the French team is former world and four-time European duathlon champion Benjamin Choquert. He has also competed at the last two European Athletics Championships, placing 37th in the half marathon at Roma 2024 and 21st in the marathon at Munich 2022. With a personal best of 2:07:42, he cannot be discounted.
Also wearing the French colours is Emmanuel Roudolff, who won 10,000m bronze at the 2017 European Athletics U23 Championships. He was 33rd in the half marathon at Roma 2024 and has a marathon best of 2:07:41 from Sevilla in February.
Ibrahim Chakir is the sole Spanish representative. He was 23rd in the marathon at the Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships and 34th in last year’s Paris Olympics. With a lifetime best of 2:07:32 from Valencia in December, he should be another individual medal contender.
Entries are still open for 10km, half marathon and marathon events for recreational runners providing a unique opportunity to run with the elite athletes for the first time ever at a European Athletics Championships.
Chris Broadbent for European Athletics