Valentyna Veretska, who fled the Russian invasion of Ukraine with her daughter, has won the Jerusalem Marathon
Ukrainian athlete Valentyna Veretska has claimed the women’s title at the Jerusalem Marathon with a time of 2 hours 45 minutes 54 seconds. The 31-year-old fled Ukraine with her daughter after the its invasion in February 2022, crossing the border into Poland before travelling to Israel. Her husband has remained in Ukraine where he is serving in the army, according to race organisers.
Valentyna, who claims her second win since October 2021 when she triumphed in the Tirana Marathon in Albania, clutched both an Israeli and Ukrainian flag as she crossed the finish line. 40 Ukrainians took part, facing particularly harsh wintry weather conditions.
She used the race through Jerusalem’s Old Town as an opportunity to raise awareness of the ongoing conflict in her home nation.
“I came to this marathon to make my voice heard, and call on everyone to unite to bring an end to the war,” she told race organisers. “I ran and thought about my homeland and the people there. As I ran, I heard them in my mind.”
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