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When Russia invaded Ukraine, 31-year-old Valentyna Vereteska didn’t even pack her clothes or other belongings. He and his 11-year-old daughter fled their hometown of Mykolaiv, which has since suffered Russian bombardment.
He said they had been waiting at the Polish border for 15 hours in cold weather and with limited food access.
Ms. Vereteska’s ordeal reflects the experience of millions of Ukrainian refugees, but there is a unique footnote: she crossed another spot on Friday by winning the women’s race at the Jerusalem Marathon and finishing just behind two men in a 2-hour time. 45 minutes 54 seconds.
It would be an understatement to say that a few weeks ago this success was highly unlikely.
Ms. Vereteska, a professional runner and physical therapist, and her daughter stay with a family in Poland, responding to her husband’s calls for help on Facebook. Her husband, Pavlo Vereteska, a professional runner, is staying in Ukraine and fighting in the war, she said. His parents and siblings are still there.
He said that his house in Mykolaiv was destroyed and the war made him depressed and unable to train.
However, he was desperate to get back to the sport he loved, so he contacted the Jerusalem Marathon officials and was able to take part in the event less than two weeks ago.
Ms. Vereteska said she was shocked by her victory, especially as she was able to continue training recently, with clothes and shoes collected by her Polish host family.
This was his fourth marathon. Before the war, he finished first in a marathon in Albania on October 17 and third in the Gutenberg Marathon in Mainz, Germany in May 2019. According to the World Athletics website.
He said that he thought of the war during the race to Jerusalem and that these thoughts fueled his victory.
“I’m stressed, of course I’m nervous about everything that’s going on in Ukraine, but it helped me,” he said, thinking about his home country. “It was a very tough race, it was very bumpy, it was really bumpy.”
The relatively slow win times reflected the challenging course, which included a handful of steep climbs. Friday’s conditions did not help matters: it was windy and cold, and it rained occasionally. Ageze Guadie won the men’s race in 2 hours 37 minutes 17 seconds.
Ms. Vereteska said her victory made her smile for the first time since the start of the war. “This victory is for peace, for peace, for peace in my country and not only in my country, but in the whole world.”
Not sure what’s next. She worries about her husband and family in Ukraine and longs to go home. But for now, he plans to return to Krakow to reunite with his daughter.
He’s watching his next marathon, perhaps in May in Mainz, Germany.
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