Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Friday, April 17, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Friday, April 17, 2026
Thousands, including ex-hostage, compete in Jerusalem marathon; full race nixed due to heat wave
Thousands of runners take part in the annual Jerusalem marathon on April 17, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Thousands of runners compete in a half-marathon and shorter runs in Jerusalem, after the capital’s full marathon was canceled due to the heat wave sweeping Israel.
Race times were also moved up to mitigate risks from the high temperature.
Former hostage Rom Braslavski, who was released in October after two years of captivity in Gaza, kicked off the marathon’s 10K race.
The half-marathon took runners past the Knesset, the city center, into the Old City and through southern Jerusalem.
Haimro Alame won the men’s half-marathon with a time of 1:07:31, and Mentamir Bikyia won the women’s half with a time of 1:24:29, according to Hebrew media reports.
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