TEAM UP! Europe unveils two further marathon crews to compete in September
TEAM UP! Europe has just presented further two teams taking part in this year’s contest. The competition – part of the 45th Nationale Nederlanden Warsaw Marathon – is a team effort fighting for this year’s main prizes in Poland’s biggest race. Today, teams of runners from Ukraine and Switzerland joined the Hungarian crew. TEAM UP! Europe is just over 2 months away – and is taking a truly European dimension.
The biggest star of the Ukrainian team is the European bronze 10,000 metres medalist (2012) – Olha Skrypak-Nyzhnyk. Olha is also a double national champion – at 5,000 and 10,000 metres.
Her team partner, Maryna Nemchenko, is less experienced, but this year has already brought her a half marathon win (Jerusalem) and a new 10k PB (33:15 in Łódź).
Who remembers the Warsaw Marathon 2006 and the sensational victory of the young and unknown Vitaliy Shafar from Ukraine, who in addition set the event’s record? Vitaliy returns to Warsaw after 17 years! Today he is 41, an olympian from London, with several half marathon wins under his belt – Minsk (2021), Olomouc (2022) and Karlovy Vary (2023) – but also with the infamous problems with a biological passport, which cost a four-year career break. Vitaliy served his penalty, he can run again and this is a classy comeback – an example would be last year’s marathon result from Seoul – 2: 13.40.
The team is complemented by Mykola Mevsh, who debuted in the marathon a year ago (Dębno; 2:17.49). This year he’s brought down his 10 k PB to 29:08, having also won (like Maryna Nemchenko) a half marathon in Jerusalem.
Elias Gemperli will lead a strong and even team of the Swiss. Their captain, a cross-country and orienteering lover, boasts a marathon PB of 2: 21.50. Elias is also the current team champion of Switzerland in the marathon.
His teammate, David Keller, has a PB that’s exactly one second better (2: 21.49) and accomplished this year. The season has been particularly successful for David, as he added new life achievements in the half marathon and the 10 k.
The female side of the Swiss team features Rahel Meili (2: 48.24, the fourth at this year’s championships of their country at the marathon distance) and the Aleit Clerc-Bekele, Alemite, who holds a Swiss passport now, has been a 6-time Belgian champion in the marathon, half marathon and 10 km, and in 2008 she won the gold medal of the Benelux championships.
TOP SPORT UKRAINE
Mykola Mevsha (bib number M21)
Vitaliy Shafar (M22)
Maryna Nemchenko (F21)
Olha Nyzhnyk (F22)
SWITZERLAND
Elias Gemperli (bib number M31)
David Keller (M32)
Alemit Clerc-Bekele (F31)
Rahel Meili (F32)
