Petros and Vainio Break Marathon Championship Records on European Athletics Championships Final Day
Amanal Petros and Alisa Vainio produced commanding performances on the streets of Birmingham to win the men’s and women’s marathon titles on the final morning of the 2026 European Athletics Championships.
Germany’s Petros broke away around halfway and completed approximately 20 kilometres alone at the front before taking the men’s title in a championship record of 2:09:11.
The 2025 world silver medallist crossed the line seven seconds ahead of Italy’s Pietro Riva, who claimed silver in 2:09:18, while Israel’s Gashau Ayale secured bronze in 2:09:21.
Behind them, Sweden’s Suldan Hassan finished only three seconds outside the medals in 2:09:24. Israel placed three runners inside the top eight to win the team title, with Germany taking silver and Spain bronze.
- Amanal Petros (GER) – 2:09:11 CR
- Pietro Riva (ITA) – 2:09:18
- Gashau Ayale (ISR) – 2:09:21
Petros became only the second German man to win the European marathon crown, following Richard Ringer’s victory in Munich four years ago. Ringer finished 10th on this occasion as the athletes completed eight laps of a demanding five-kilometre city-centre circuit.
Vainio dominates women’s race
Finland’s Alisa Vainio was even more dominant in the women’s marathon, controlling the race from the early stages and pulling steadily clear of the field.
Vainio completed the Birmingham course in 2:22:26, slicing more than a minute from Christelle Daunay’s previous European Championships record of 2:25:14, set in Zurich in 2014.
Hungary’s Lili Anna Vindics-Tóth emerged as the best of the rest, taking silver with a personal best of 2:27:21. Britain’s Abbie Donnelly delighted the home crowd by securing bronze in a season’s best of 2:27:33, just six seconds ahead of Hungary’s Nóra Szabó.
- Alisa Vainio (FIN) – 2:22:26 CR
- Lili Anna Vindics-Tóth (HUN) – 2:27:21 PB
- Abbie Donnelly (GBR) – 2:27:33 SB
Vainio’s triumph continued an outstanding period in her career after she finished fifth at the 2025 World Championships and lowered the Finnish record to 2:20:38 while winning the 2026 Seville Marathon.
Donnelly’s bronze helped Great Britain win the women’s team title, with Italy claiming silver and Spain taking bronze.
