Lonah Korlima Chemtai Salpeter (, , born 12 December 1988) is an Israeli Olympic runner. Born in Kenya, she represents Israel internationally. She won the bronze medal in the
marathon
The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...
at the
2022 World Athletics Championships
The 2022 World Athletics Championships was the eighteenth edition of the World Athletics Championships. It was held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, United States, from July 15–24, 2022, with the country hosting that competition for the ...
. At the
European Athletics Championships
The European Athletics Championships is a biennial (from 2010) athletics event organised by the European Athletic Association and is recognised as the elite continental outdoor athletics championships for Europe.
Editions
First held, for me ...
in the
10,000 metres
The 10,000 metres or the 10,000-metre run is a common long-distance track running event. The event is part of the athletics programme at the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships, and is common at championship-level events. The ...
, Salpeter won the gold medal in
2018
Events January
* January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency.
* January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
, and earned a bronze medal in
2022
The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...
2022 New York City Marathon
The 2022 New York City Marathon, the 51st running of New York City Marathon, that city's premier long-distance race, was held on November 6, 2022. The race followed its traditional route, which passes through all five boroughs of New York City ...
, and finished third at the
2023 Boston Marathon
The 2023 Boston Marathon was a marathon race held in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 17, 2023. It was the 127th official running of the race, and 125th time it was run on course (excluding the virtual event of 2020, and the ekiden of 1918). It a ...
.
Her personal best time for the marathon is 2:17:45, which Salpeter ran in 2020 and which made her the sixth-fastest female marathon runner in history (currently, she is the 11th), the second-fastest European of all time, and set a new Israeli national record. Salpeter represented Israel at the
2016 Rio Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Rio 2016, were an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with preliminary events i ...
and the
2020 Tokyo Olympics
The officially the and officially branded as were an international multi-sport event that was held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some of the preliminary sporting events beginning on 21 July 2021. Tokyo ...
3000 metres
The 3000 metres or 3000-metre run is a track running event, also commonly known as the "3K" or "3K run", where 7.5 laps are run around an outdoor 400 m track, or 15 laps around a 200 m indoor track.
It is debated whether the 3000 m sho ...
Lonah Chemtai was born and raised in the small village of Kapkanyar, in West Pokot County, in the
Rift Valley Province
Rift Valley Province () of Kenya, bordering Uganda, was one of Kenya's eight provinces, before the 2013 Kenyan general election.
Rift Valley Province was the largest and one of the most economically important provinces in Kenya. It was dominated ...
Kalenjin people
The History of the Kalenjin people, Kalenjin is a group of tribes indigenous to East Africa, residing mainly in what was formerly the Rift Valley Province in Kenya and the eastern slopes of Mount Elgon in Uganda. They number 6,358,113 individu ...
. The members of the tribe speak the Pokot language and Swahili, are warriors, and do not like running--despite being good runners. She grew up living in a dwelling made of sheet metal, without electricity or running water."Kenyan-Born Lonah Chemtai to Represent Israel in Rio Marathon" ''The Jewish Press'', July 21, 2016. Retrieved on 26 August 2016.Lewis, Ori. (19 July 2016 "Kenyan-born runner Chemtai going the distance for Israel" Reuters. Retrieved on 2016-08-26. She has 12 siblings, and the members of the family had to walk down to a nearby river to fetch their water. Her school was four kilometers (2.5 miles) away from her home. In 2005, her father died, at 55 years of age, and Lonah helped her mother by tilling the land of the family farm, milking cows, cooking, washing, and fetching water from the river.
She came to
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
in December 2008 at 20 years of age, having never left her village previously, to work as a live-in nanny for the three children under five years of age of Kenya's
Ambassador
An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...
to Israel. The Ambassador's wife was initially away studying in Australia, but returned to the family in 2010. She lived and worked in
Herzliya
Herzliya ( ; , / ) is an affluent List of Israeli cities, city in the Israeli coastal plain, central coast of Israel, at the northern part of the Tel Aviv District, known for its robust start-up and entrepreneurial culture. In it had a populatio ...
, near
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...
moshav
A moshav (, plural ', "settlement, village") is a type of Israeli village or town or Jewish settlement, in particular a type of cooperative agricultural community of individual farms pioneered by the Labour Zionists between 1904 and 1 ...
Yanuv
Yanuv () is a moshav in central Israel. Located in the Sharon plain near Netanya and Tulkarm, it falls under the jurisdiction of Lev HaSharon Regional Council. In it had a population of .
History
Before the 20th century the area formed part of ...
, in
central Israel
The Central District (, ''Meḥoz haMerkaz''; ) of Israel is one of six administrative districts, including most of the Sharon region. It is further divided into four sub-districts: Petah Tikva, Ramla, Sharon, and Rehovot. The district's large ...
, and then in Shoham, also in central Israel."Kenyan-born runner Chemtai going the distance for Israel," '' The Star'', Kenya, 20 July 2016. Retrieved on 2016-08-26.
She received support in her quest for Israeli citizenship from Kenya's Ambassador to Israel, Augostino Njoroge. He said that Kenya had plenty of marathon runners, and that he would be happy to have Salpeter run for Israel: "Kenya and Israel are so good friends. We cannot hand you the medal, but we can give you somebody who can bring the medal. This is what good friends are there for."
Shortly after, in March 2016, Salpeter became an Israeli citizen on account of her being married to an Israeli citizen, eight years after she began residing in Israel, and a few days before the cut-off to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The family now lives in
Kibbutz
A kibbutz ( / , ; : kibbutzim / ) is an intentional community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. The first kibbutz, established in 1910, was Degania Alef, Degania. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economi ...
Lehavot HaBashan
Lehavot HaBashan () is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located in the Hula Valley around ten kilometres southeast of Kiryat Shmona, it falls under the jurisdiction of Upper Galilee Regional Council. In it had a population of .
History
The village ...
in
northern Israel
The Northern District (; ) is one of Israel's six administrative districts. The Northern District has a land area of 4,473 km2, making it the second largest district in Israel.
The Golan Heights has been run as a sub-district of the North ...
.
Running career
She began running in a local park in Herzliya as a hobby in 2010. She said: "When I started seeing people running in el Aviv I said to myself ‘I can be like them.’ Then I met my husband, and he was encouraging me and supporting me a lot."
Her husband, an Israeli former middle-distance and mountain runner, is also her coach. They met as she was casually running in a park.Pileggi, Tamar. (17 March 2016 "After legal battle, Kenyan runner gets Israeli citizenship" ''The Times of Israel''. Retrieved on 2016-08-26. In her youth she ran shorter distances, and she only began running
marathon
The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...
s after 2014. She says that runners face the challenge of learning how to handle pain, and she adds: "And losing. You train for months, and you are disappointed, but you need to take a challenge. You need to know where your weaknesses were, and the mistakes that you made."
Her club is
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi Tel Aviv () is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, j ...
. Salpeter trains 190-200 kilometers (118-124 miles) a week. She does not listen to music as she runs, saying "I always like to listen to my heart beating. Even though I'm running 42 kilometers, I run without music." Salpeter also revealed that "In a marathon I don't look at who I passed or who is passing me. I have a goal and I only see it." She said: "People tell me, ‘You inspire us, you make us proud,’ so that really motivates me a lot. I want to inspire the younger generation in Israel."
2016–17; Tel Aviv Marathon gold and 2016 Olympics
Salpeter came in first among the women in the 2016 Tel Aviv Marathon in 2:40:16, almost five minutes below the qualification time for the 2016 Rio Olympics. It was the first time she had run a marathon.
Salpeter then competed for Israel at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the
marathon
The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...
. By the 30th kilometer, her time put her in the top half of the runners, ranking her approximately 90th.Uri Talshir
(August 20, 2016) "Breastfeeding Was Downfall of Israeli Marathon Runner at Rio Olympics" ''Haaretz''. Retrieved on 2016-08-26. She left the race at the 35th kilometer, with sharp pain in her chest. On the advicae of officials in Brazil who thought that the baby might get sick, she had not brought her baby with her to
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
, and had stopped nursing it a few weeks before the race, resulting in her having extra
breast milk
Breast milk (sometimes spelled as breastmilk) or mother's milk is milk produced by the mammary glands in the breasts of women. Breast milk is the primary source of nutrition for newborn infants, comprising fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and a var ...
and consequently problems with her chest. She explained on Facebook:
Unfortunately, I was forced to stop by a shoulder problem. As you all know, I'm still nursing my 20-month-old son. During my training in Kenya, I tried to stop, but it caused me pain and a shoulder problem due to running with breasts full of milk. This limited me in the European championships in Amsterdam (a half-marathon) and happened again today. I promise to attain respectable achievements in the future and am going forward with head held high.
In September 2016 Salpeter came in 11th in the 2016 Berlin Marathon in Germany, in 2:40:16.
In May 2017 she won the Berlin BIG 25 km race in Germany, in 1:28:48.
In June 2017, Salpeter won a
silver medal
A silver medal, in sports and other similar areas involving competition, is a medal made of, or plated with, silver awarded to the second-place finisher, or runner-up, of contests or competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, ...
2018; Florence Marathon gold and European 10,000m champion
In May 2018, Salpeter won the 2018 European 10,000 m Cup in London, with a time of 31:33.03, a new Israeli national record. She was named the female
European Athlete of the Month
The European Athlete of the Month is an award that can be won by athletes participating in events within the sport of Sport of athletics, athletics organised by the European Athletic Association (EAA). The election has been organised since 2007.
...
for May.
In June 2018, she won the Valencia 15 km, in
Valencia
Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...
, Spain, with a time of 47:38, a personal best and a new Israeli record.
In July 2018, Salpeter won the 1500 m at the Israeli National Championships, with a time of 4:11.69, a personal best.
That same month, she won the Guldensporenmeeting 5,000 metre race in
Kortrijk
Kortrijk ( , ; or ''Kortrik''; ), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of We ...
, Belgium, with a time of 15:17.81.
On 8 August 2018, Salpeter won the
10,000 metres
The 10,000 metres or the 10,000-metre run is a common long-distance track running event. The event is part of the athletics programme at the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships, and is common at championship-level events. The ...
at the
2018 European Athletics Championships
The 2018 European Athletics Championships were held in Berlin, Germany, from 6 to 12 August 2018. The championships were part of the first European Championships with other events happening in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Grea ...
in Berlin, with a time of 31:43.29. She became the first Israeli athlete to win a
gold medal
A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture.
Since the eighteenth century, gold medals have b ...
at the championships.
Four days later, in the 5000 metres race in her second competition at the Championships, Salpeter miscounted the number of laps in the 12.5-lap race. As she and the other lead runners crossed the line, with her in close second place, she pulled up one lap early by mistake and veered off course 400 metres early, thinking she had just crossed the finish line. However, as race officials rang the bell indicating the start of the final lap, Salpeter realized her error, and sprinted after the leader. The gap was too large for her to close, however, and she finished in fourth place, in a time of 15:01. Nevertheless, her time was a new Israeli record, breaking the old one by 17 seconds. After finishing she collapsed on the grass, crying, and in her post-race interview only managed to say: "What a fool I am." An hour after the conclusion of the race, race officials disqualified her for having crossed lanes on the track.
In September 2018, Salpeter won the Dam tot Damloop 10-mile race in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, with a time of 50:45. She won by one second, and also won the gender pursuit race by 35 seconds over Joshua Cheptegei. It was the first time that she ran the distance.
In October 2018 she won a silver medal in the
Lisbon Half Marathon
EDP Lisbon Half Marathon is an annual international half marathon competition which is contested every March in Lisbon, Portugal. It carries IAAF Gold Label Road Race status. The men's course record of 57:31 was set by Jacob Kiplimo in 2021, which ...
in Portugal, in 1:07:55.
On 25 November 2018, Salpeter won the Florence Marathon, setting an Israeli national record and course record of 2:24:17. She broke the prior course record by four minutes, and was six minutes ahead of the second-place finisher Caroline Chepkwony. She ran a negative split, running the first half of the race in 1:12:38, and the second half in 1:11:39. It was only her fifth marathon.
In December 2018, she won the Roma We Run Rome 10K in Rome, Italy, in a time of 31:46.
2019; Prague Marathon gold
In February 2019, Salpeter won the
Or Yehuda
Or Yehuda () is a city in the Tel Aviv District of Israel. Located in the Gush Dan, Gush Dan metropolitan area, in it had a population of .
History Prehistory
Human settlement back to the Chalcolithic has been found on the site.
That same month she won the Israeli 15km Championships in
Rishon LeZion
Rishon LeZion ( , "First to Zion") is a city in Israel, located along the central Israeli coastal plain south of Tel Aviv. It is part of the Gush Dan metropolitan area.
Founded in 1882 by Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire who were ...
, with a time of 48:42.
In March 2019, Salpeter won the Roma-Ostia Half Marathon in Rome, Italy, with a time of 1:06:40. She was two seconds off the course record.
In April 2019, she came in second in the
Prague Half Marathon
The Prague Half Marathon is an annual half marathon road running event which takes place in Spring on the city streets of Prague, Czech Republic, first held in 1999. It is managed by the same organisation that holds the Prague Marathon in May ...
in
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
, the Czech Republic, with a time of 1:06:09, a personal best.
On 5 May 2019, Salpeter won the
Prague Marathon
The Prague Marathon (also known as Prague International Marathon) is an annual road marathon held in the city of Prague in the Czech Republic each May. It was founded in 1995 and has grown to become a significant event, being awarded IAAF G ...
, with a course record 2:19:46 time, breaking the old course record by over two minutes. She clocked the 24th-best time for a woman in that distance in history, the third-best European time ever, and a new Israeli national record. She ran a negative split, running the first half in 70:12, and -- despite the wind increasing -- the second half in 69:33. She moved to third on the European all-time list in the marathon, behind world record-holder
Paula Radcliffe
Paula Jane Radcliffe Order of the British Empire, MBE (born 17 December 1973) is a British former long-distance runner. She is a three-time winner of the London Marathon (2002, 2003, 2005), three-time New York Marathon champion (2004, 2007, 200 ...
Tampere
Tampere is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Pirkanmaa. It is located in the Finnish Lakeland. The population of Tampere is approximately , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately . It is the most populous mu ...
, Finland, in 4:20.51. She was named the female European Athlete of the Month for May 2019.
In July 2019, she won a silver medal in the 2019 European 10,000 m Cup in London, with an Israeli national record of 31:15.78, seven seconds behind Steph Twell.
In August 2019 Salpeter won a gold medal in the 2019 European Athletics Team Championships Second League 5,000 metre race, in
Varaždin
Varaždin ( or ; , also known by #Name, alternative names) is a city in Northern Croatia, north-east of Zagreb. The total population is 46,946, with 38,839 in the city settlement itself (2011).
The city is best known for its baroque buildings, ...
, Croatia, in a time of 15:44.38.
In September 2019 at the Tilburg Ten Miles in the Netherlands, as Salpeter won the gold medal, she set a new Israeli record, and broke the European record in the 10 kilometres with a time of 30:04, the second-fastest women's time ever recorded for the distance, slicing 17 seconds off the previous record set by
Paula Radcliffe
Paula Jane Radcliffe Order of the British Empire, MBE (born 17 December 1973) is a British former long-distance runner. She is a three-time winner of the London Marathon (2002, 2003, 2005), three-time New York Marathon champion (2004, 2007, 200 ...
in 2003.
On 28 September 2019, Salpeter ran in the women's marathon at the
2019 World Athletics Championships
The 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships () was the seventeenth edition of the biennial, global sport of athletics, athletics competition organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), since renamed World Athleti ...
in
Doha
Doha ( ) is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor (city), Al Khor and Lusail, it is home to most of the country's population. It ...
,
Qatar
Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...
. She was forced to leave the race after 32 kilometers (20 miles) while she was in fifth place and 11 seconds behind the lead runner, as temperatures rose to 91 °F (32.7 °C), along with humidity of 73% that made it feel like 105 °F (40 °C). In all, 28 out of 68 runners (41%) failed to finish the race.
In December 2019 she won the Israeli Half Marathon Championships in
Beit She'an
Beit She'an ( '), also known as Beisan ( '), or Beth-shean, is a town in the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. The town lies at the Beit She'an Valley about 120 m (394 feet) below sea level.
Beit She'an is believed to ...
, with a time of 1:10:05.
2020; Tokyo Marathon gold at 2:17:45
In March 2020, Salpeter won the gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Marathon with a time of 2:17:45, setting a new course and Israeli record, and medalling in her first World Marathon Major. She broke away from the women's field at the 30-kilometer mark, and broke the course record by over two minutes. She ran the sixth-fastest women's marathon in the world of all time.
In July 2020, she won the 800 metre Israeli Championship in Tel Aviv with a time of 2:06.63, a personal best, and the 1,500 metre Israeli Championship with a time of 4:17.96.
In September 2020, Salpeter won the silver medal in the One Hour
Memorial Van Damme
The Memorial Van Damme is an annual athletics event at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium, that takes place in late August or early September. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it now serves as a final event of the D ...
in Brussels, Belgium, with a distance of 18,571 metres.
In December 2020, she won the Israeli Half Marathon Championships with a time of 1:13:38.
2021; 2020 Tokyo Olympics marathon
In January 2021, Salpeter won the
Yarkon Park
Yarkon Park (, ''Park HaYarkon'') is a park in Tel Aviv, Israel, with about sixteen million visits annually. Named after the Yarkon River, which flows through it, the park includes extensive lawns, sports facilities, botanical gardens, an aviar ...
5km Road Race in Tel Aviv, with a time of 15:28.
In February 2021, she won the Tuscany Camp Half Marathon in
Siena
Siena ( , ; traditionally spelled Sienna in English; ) is a city in Tuscany, in central Italy, and the capital of the province of Siena. It is the twelfth most populated city in the region by number of inhabitants, with a population of 52,991 ...
, Italy, with a time of 1:07:09.
On 14 March 2021, Salpeter won the Agmon Hahula Marathon in
Hula Valley
The Hula Valley () is a valley and fertile agricultural region in northern Israel with abundant fresh water that used to be Lake Hula before it was drained. It is a major stopover for birds migrating along the Great Rift Valley between Africa ...
bronze medal
A bronze medal in sports and other similar areas involving competition is a medal made of bronze awarded to the third-place finisher of contests or competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The outright winner receives ...
with Molly Seidel, when she had to pause due to severe pain from intense
menstrual cramps
The menstrual cycle is a series of natural changes in hormone production and the structures of the uterus and ovaries of the female reproductive system that makes pregnancy possible. The ovarian cycle controls the production and release of egg ...
. She only started running again 20 minutes later, finished 21 minutes behind the winner Peres Jepchirchir, and said: "I will never give up, so I need to cross the finish line. I tried my best." Shortly after the marathon ended, she said: "I was really proud to represent Israel, I was going today to fight for any medal. I apologize that I didn't win," before breaking into tears and walking away from the interview. When asked about the problem, she looked at the only female reporter in the crowd and said, “You understand.” She explained further:
Two days later Salpeter said she does not live life with regrets, and was already looking ahead to the future. "I don't have regrets, because I just take my life like a book. I already came from that page from yesterday, so I need to open another page to see what is going on in the future. If I look back, I will be mentally destroyed."
In October 2021 she came in fifth in the 2021 London Marathon with a time of 2:18:54. Her time was just over a minute after first-place winner Joyciline Jepkosgei, and just 36 seconds after third-place finisher Ashete Bekere.
In December 2021, she won the bronze medal in the San Silvestre Vallecana 10K in
Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
, Spain with a time of 31:14.
That month Salpeter also won the Tiberias Half Marathon in Israel, with a time of 1:11:35.
2022; New York City Marathon silver and World Championships bronze
Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...
, Japan, with a time of 2:18:45. She ran a negative second half split of 1:08:58, compared to her first half split of 1:09:47, as she finished with a time that was faster than the previous event record.
In April 2022, she won the Israeli 10,000m Championships in Tel Aviv, with a time of 31:49.75.
In May 2022, she won the 5,000 metres Maccabi Idelson Cup in Tel Aviv, with a time of 16:10.13.
In July 2022, Salpeter won a bronze medal in the
2022 World Athletics Championships
The 2022 World Athletics Championships was the eighteenth edition of the World Athletics Championships. It was held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, United States, from July 15–24, 2022, with the country hosting that competition for the ...
Oregon
Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
, with a time of 2:20:18. She started surging in the last third of the race, and said: "“The marathon starts at 30km." She accepted the medal while wearing the Israeli flag draped across her back, and said: "I'm so proud to represent my country".
In August 2022, Salpeter won the bronze medal for Israel at the
2022 European Athletics Championships
The 2022 European Athletics Championships were the 25th edition of the European Athletics Championships and were held in Munich, Germany, from 15 to 21 August 2022.
They were part of the 2022 European Championships, European Championships, a multi ...
in
Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
, Germany, in the 10,000 metres race, and set an Israeli record with a time of 30:36:37.
In November 2022, Salpeter won the silver medal at the
2022 New York City Marathon
The 2022 New York City Marathon, the 51st running of New York City Marathon, that city's premier long-distance race, was held on November 6, 2022. The race followed its traditional route, which passes through all five boroughs of New York City ...
, with a time of 2:23:30, only seven seconds behind the winner Sharon Lokedi. On an unseasonably warm and humid day for New York City, she had been in the lead for most of the last few miles, and was only passed by Lokedi in the final mile. She had been dealing with sensitivity in one of her inner thigh muscles for several months. After the race she said: "I always, whatever race I do, I always remember my nation. I need to run for them! Back in Israel, every race is my way to say thank you. Thank you to Israel!” It was the first time she had run the New York City Marathon.
As of that month, she held Israeli national records for 1500, 3000, 5000, and 10,000 metres, as well as for the half marathon.
2023; Boston Marathon bronze
In February 2023, Salpeter won the Tel Aviv 10K with a time of 31:20. She said: "For me, it is a great honor to make my country proud in every race that I compete in."
In March 2023 she won the silver medal in the Roma-Ostia Half Marathon, in Rome, Italy, in 1:06:56, 35 seconds behind the gold medal winner.
In April 2023, Salpeter won the bronze medal in the
2023 Boston Marathon
The 2023 Boston Marathon was a marathon race held in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 17, 2023. It was the 127th official running of the race, and 125th time it was run on course (excluding the virtual event of 2020, and the ekiden of 1918). It a ...
, in Boston, Massachusetts, in a time of 2:21:57, 19 seconds behind the gold-medal winner and two-time world champion Hellen Obiri. She led the pack of runners until the final two miles. It was the first time she had run the Boston Marathon.
In May 2023, Salpeter won the 5,000 metres Maccabi Idelson Cup in Tel Aviv with a time of 16:52.10.
In June 2023, she won the silver medal in the 5,000 metres 2023 European Athletics Team Championships Third Division in
Chorzów
Chorzów ( ; ; ) is a city in the Silesia region of southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central cities of the Metropolis GZM – a metropolis with a population of 2 million. It is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Rawa ...
, Poland, with a time of 15:36.07.
Also in June 2023 she won the Hamburg Half Marathon, in
Hamburg
Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...
, Germany, in 1:10:05.
In August 2023 Salpeter came in fourth in the
2023 World Athletics Championships
The 2023 World Athletics Championships (), the nineteenth edition of the World Athletics Championships, were held from 19 to 27 August 2023 at the National Athletics Centre (Budapest), National Athletics Centre, in Budapest, Hungary. The tourna ...
in
Budapest
Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...
, Hungary, running it in 2:25:38.
In November 2023, she won the silver medal in the 15K
Zevenheuvelenloop
The Zevenheuvelenloop (; English: Seven Hills Run) is an annual Road running, road race of 15K_run, 15 kilometres held in and around Nijmegen, Netherlands. It was first organised in 1984 and has grown to be one of the largest road races in th ...
, in
Nijmegen
Nijmegen ( , ; Nijmeegs: ) is the largest city in the Dutch province of Gelderland and the ninth largest of the Netherlands as a whole. Located on the Waal River close to the German border, Nijmegen is one of the oldest cities in the ...
Salpeter was chosen to be Israel's female flag-bearer at the
Opening Ceremony
An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly constructed location or the start of an event.
of the Olympic Games on 26 July 2024.
Salpeter represented Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the Women's marathon. After leading at the halfway mark, she finished 9th with a time of 2:26:08, three minutes and 13 seconds behind gold medal winner
Sifan Hassan
Sifan Hassan (; born January 1993 in Ethiopia) is a Dutch middle- and long-distance runner. She is most recognized for her versatility in running championship and world-leading performances in widely disparate distances. She completed an unpr ...
3000 metres
The 3000 metres or 3000-metre run is a track running event, also commonly known as the "3K" or "3K run", where 7.5 laps are run around an outdoor 400 m track, or 15 laps around a 200 m indoor track.
It is debated whether the 3000 m sho ...
– 8:42.88 (
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
2018)
*
5000 metres
The 5000 metres or 5000-metre run is a common long-distance running event in track and field, approximately equivalent to or . It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics, run over laps of a sta ...
– 14:59.02 (
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
2019)
*
10,000 metres
The 10,000 metres or the 10,000-metre run is a common long-distance track running event. The event is part of the athletics programme at the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships, and is common at championship-level events. The ...
– 30:46.37 (
Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
Brussels
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
Tilburg
Tilburg () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands, in the southern Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant. With a population of 22 ...
2019)
*
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of —half the distance of a marathon. It is common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon or a 5K race, using almost the same course with a late start, an early finish, or shortcu ...
– 1:06:09 (
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
2019)
*
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...
– 2:17:45 (
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
2020)
See also
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List of Israeli records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Israel maintained by Israeli Athletic Association (IAA).
Outdoor
Key to tables:
Men
Women
Mixed
Indoor
Men
Women
Notes
References
;GeneralIsraeli National Records - Men Outdo ...