Birmingham, UK — Italian distance runner Pietro Riva secured a silver medal in the marathon at the European Athletics Championships, finishing just seven seconds behind the gold medalist, according to la Repubblica. The race took place on Sunday, August 16, 2026, in Birmingham.
Riva’s performance headlined a strong showing for Italy in the marathon event. In addition to his individual podium finish, the Italian women’s marathon team also claimed a silver medal in the team classification, as reported by multiple outlets including La Gazzetta dello Sport and ANSA. Rebecca Lonedo finished sixth individually in the women’s race, contributing to the team’s second-place result, according to Il Giornale di Vicenza.
The silver medals add to Italy’s overall medal count at the championships. ANSA also reported that Italy finished second in the overall team standings at the European Athletics Championships, a result bolstered by the marathon performances. The team classification aggregates results across all events, and Italy’s consistency in Birmingham helped secure the runner-up spot.
Riva’s near-miss for gold, coming up just seven seconds short, marks one of the closest finishes in the marathon. His result, alongside the women’s team silver, underscores Italy’s depth in long-distance running at the continental level. The Italian squad’s overall second-place finish in the team rankings reflects a broader competitive effort across the multi-day meet.
With the European Championships now concluded, attention shifts to upcoming international competitions where Italian marathoners will look to build on this momentum. The narrow margin in Birmingham suggests the potential for a gold-medal breakthrough in future major events.
