Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter wins marathon bronze at World Athletics Championship

Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter wins a bronze medal in the marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Chemtai Salpeter came in behind Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase and Kenya’s Judith Jeptum Korir.

Gebreslase, who won the 2021 Berlin Marathon on her debut and finished third in this year’s Tokyo Marathon, kicked with two kilometers to go, winning in a championships record of 2hr 18min 11sec.

Jeptum Korir claimed silver in a personal best of 2:18.20, while Salpeter claimed bronze in 2:20.18.

Lonah Chemtai Salpeter of Team Israel reacts as she wins bronze in the Women’s Marathon on day four of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 at Hayward Field on July 18, 2022, in Eugene, Oregon. (Carmen Mandato/ Getty Images via AFP)

Born in Kenya, Salpeter moved to Israel in 2011 and fought for citizenship for years. She eventually received Israeli citizenship in March of 2016, after winning the Tel Aviv marathon, allowing her to compete for Israel in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.