Israel’s Chemtai Salpeter finishes 9th in women’s marathon after leading at halfway mark

Israeli runner Lonah Chemtai Salpeter finishes the women’s marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics in 9th place with a time of 2:26:08.

At the halfway point, Salpeter was leading the race, but fell behind during one of the inclines on the course. She came to Paris as an underdog after an injury sidelined her for much of the past year.

This is Salpeter’s third Olympics, and her best Olympic finish — as well as Israel’s best marathon result — after in Rio she stopped the marathon partway through due to pain caused by carrying extra breast milk, and in Tokyo, she paused the race because of painful menstrual cramps, eventually finishing 66th.

“I came here without any expectations, and then in the middle my leg started to hurt but I didn’t give up,” Salpeter tells Israel’s Sport5 broadcaster moments after finishes. “I said I’ll keep going no matter what will come, but I’m happy that I finished.”

The Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan wins gold with a new Olympic record, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa takes silver and Kenya’s Hellen Obiri clinches bronze. At least nine of the 91 runners who began the race this morning did not complete it.

Fellow Israeli runner Maor Tiyouri finishes in 49th place.

Salpeter, 35, a native of Kenya, became an Israeli citizen in 2016, two years after marrying her Israeli husband and coach, Dan Salpeter.