Alisa Vainio wins European marathon title in record time

Alisa Vainio secured the European marathon title in Birmingham by finishing the race in 2:22:26, setting a new championship record. The pre-race favorite took an early lead and maintained it throughout the course. Vainio's time surpassed Christelle Daunay's previous record by almost three minutes. Her victory marked the first Finnish woman to win the European marathon title, and she established the largest winning margin in the history of the championships.

Hungarian runner Lili Anna Vindics-Toth came in second, 4:55 minutes behind Vainio, while Great Britain's Abbie Donnelly secured bronze, 5:07 minutes behind the winner. Vainio's time was her fourth-fastest career performance, even though she ran the entire race alone.

Yle Sports expert Janne Ukonmaanaho praised Vainio's performance, describing it as exceptional. Vainio, 28, had been working hard for years to achieve this milestone, and her parents and brothers were present to support her. Her long-time coach, Jarmo Viskari, also played a significant role in her training and fuelling during the race.

Vainio initially downplayed her expectations, describing herself as an average marathon runner. However, her victory has given her a new perspective on her abilities. She believes she is now slightly better than average in European marathons.

Finnish dominance was evident in Birmingham, as Vainio's gold medal was accompanied by two more Finnish medals: Silja Kosonen's gold in the hammer throw and Wilma Heltelä's silver in the pole vault. Finland finished 10th in the medal table, with Italy topping the standings.