Belgian Koen Naert stormed to victory in the men’s marathon race at the European Athletics Championships in Berlin on Sunday, winning in a championship record of two hours, nine minutes and 51 seconds.
The 28-year-old, running his first competitive marathon of the year, held off Swiss Tadesse Abraham by 1min 33sec, as Yassine Rachik took bronze for Italy.
Belarusian former race walker Volha Mazuronak won the women’s race in two hours, 26min 22sec, powering away from France’s Clemence Calvin in the final 200 metres after a thrilling battle to finish six seconds clear.
Czech Eva Vrabcova Nyvltova, who is also a professional cross-country skier, finished third in a new national record of 2:31.31.
