by Alfonz Juck
The 2025 European Athletics Road Running Championships’ debut went very well. With nearly 30,000 runners competing in the 10k, half marathon, and marathon, in addition to the elite fields, EA has a winner on its hands!
ROAD RUNNING CHAMPS FLASH-BACKS
BRUSSELS (BEL): European Athletics President Dobromir Karamarinov praised the first-ever staging of the European Running Championships in Brussels-Leuven this weekend. He said: “For the first time ever, mass participants took part in an official European Athletics event, creating a unique atmosphere that inspired both elite athletes and recreational runners. Around 28,000 people participated in 10km, half marathon, and marathon races over the weekend. The response from the running community to this new concept has been amazing. Thousands of people lined the streets in Brussels and Leuven, showing widespread enthusiasm for our sport. Congratulations to the Local Organising Committee, the volunteers, and everyone involved in delivering a successful start, exceeding all expectations for a brand-new event. You have set a new standard – and we look towards the next edition of this event in Belgrade in 2027 with huge excitement and optimism.”
BRUSSELS (BEL): France won the medal ranking with 4 golds, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals, ahead of Italy (3-1-2), Spain (2-3-1), Belgium (2-2-3), and Israel (1-2-2), with a total of 9 countries winning a medal. 17 countries made points for places 1-8, with Belgium winning the standings with 75 points ahead of Spain (67), Italy (63), France (56), Israel (49) and Portugal (27).
BRUSSELS (BEL): The event introduced a new country ranking competition, enabling recreational runners to score for their country alongside elite athletes. The new concept meant the top 25 male and female runners from each country in the 10km, half marathon, and marathon races would have their times counting towards a combined team time as part of the international competition. Belgium topped the country rankings in all six competitions. But runners from France, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Serbia, Ireland, Denmark, and Norway all contributed by finishing as one of the top 25 from their countries. In total, 1325 runners were included in the country ranking competition.
BRUSSELS (BEL): There was a controversy in the women’s marathon with silver medallist Majida Maayouf accusing home favorite Hanne Verbruggen of cheating for allegedly taking a gel outside of the refreshment zone, informs sporza.be. “I am missing a medal today. That costs me a lot of tears. After 18km [Lonah], Salpeter and Maayouf started to intimidate me. I had cheated, so to speak. I knew nothing because that was not the case. They kept shouting ‘cheater’ and that they were going to make sure I would be disqualified,” said Verbruggen.
BRUSSELS (BEL): Isaac Kimeli admitted he was slightly disappointed only to win bronze in the 10km on home soil at the European Running Championships, informs Sporza. Be. “Today, I came here with one goal: to get a gold medal because I already had bronze. Gold is still missing. It’s a shame, but I can be happy that I still have the bronze medal so that all the supporters don’t have to go home empty-handed,” he said.
BRUSSELS (BEL): After a DNF in the half marathon, European 10,000m silver medallist Diane Van Es was a non-starter in the 10km.
