Elite Athletes Ready for the Inaugural European Running Championships in Brussels

The inaugural European Running Championships are set to take place this weekend, April 12-13, 2025, in Brussels and Leuven, Belgium. This groundbreaking event welcomes both elite and recreational runners to compete in the marathon, half marathon, and 10 km races. The marathon will commence at the Royal Palace in Brussels, guiding participants through an undulating course to Leuven, where a 10 km city loop culminates in a finish at Parkpoort, the same spot where the Road World Championships concluded in 2021. Both the half marathon and 10 km races will start and finish in Leuven.

• EUROPEAN ROAD RUNNING CHAMPIOSNHIPS LIVE STREAM AND TV COVERAGE DETAILS
• Final entries (by season's best)
• Final entries (by country order)

Men's Events Preview

In the men's 10 km race, Switzerland's Dominic Lobalu stands out as a prominent contender. Lobalu clinched the European 10,000m title in Rome in 2024 and will be aiming to extend his success on the roads of Leuven. Challenging him are France's Yann Schrub, the silver medallist behind Lobalu in Rome and the 2023 European cross country champion, and Etienne Daguinos, a former European 10 km record-holder. Belgium's own Isaac Kimeli, a seasoned athlete with multiple European medals, also poses a significant threat in the competition.

The half marathon features France's Jimmy Gressier, who seeks his first European senior title. Gressier was the top European finisher at the 2023 World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, recording a personal best of 59:46.

In the marathon, Turkey's Kaan Kigen Özbilen leads the entrants with a personal best of 2:04:16. Özbilen, a former European record-holder, brings a wealth of experience and will be a key figure to watch.

Women's Events Preview

The women's 10 km race is highlighted by Italy's Nadia Battocletti, who aims to add another European title to her impressive resume. Battocletti achieved a 5000m/10,000m double at the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships and secured the senior title at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Antalya. She will face competition from the Netherlands' Diane van Es and Slovenia's Klara Lukan, who finished second and fifth respectively in the 10,000m in Rome.

In the half marathon, Diane van Es enters with a recently set personal best of 68:03, making her a strong contender. Belgium's Juliette Thomas and Chloé Herbiet, with personal bests of 69:48 and 70:04 respectively, will also vie for top positions, bolstering the host nation's prospects.

The marathon field is headlined by Israel's Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, who boasts a personal best of 2:17:45. Salpeter, the 10,000m gold medallist at the Berlin 2018 European Athletics Championships, has demonstrated consistent performances in global competitions and is a favorite for the title.