Ukrainian Refugee Whose Home Was Bombed And Husband Drafted Wins Jerusalem Marathon

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In an amazing story of determination in the face of adversity, a Ukrainian refugee whose house was bombed by Russians and whose husband is serving on the front line was the winner of the Jerusalem marathon Friday.

Valentian Verzka (32) escaped the war zone of Mariupol in the Ukraine with her 11-year-old daughter at the outset of the war, with barely the clothes on her back. Her husband, who is also an athlete, was drafted into the Ukrainian army. Verzka had sent a request before the war to the directors of the marathon, requesting to participate.

Assaf Shaked, the digital manager of the marathon related that “I saw a message in my inbox with a request by a Ukrainian woman called Valentina who wanted a letter from marathon authorities to enable her to enter Israel. I saw her request a week later, two days after the war broke out. I immediately sent her a message that we would be happy to help her.”

Shaked transferred her request to Itzik Kornfein, the director of the Jerusalem Sports Department responsible for the marathon, who overcame bureaucratic hurdles and brought Valentina to Israel as an official guest of the marathon and the Jerusalem Municipality. “She came with no utensils and with almost no clothes but had tremendous desire and fire in her eyes,” Shaked said.

Jerusalem Marathon winner: Valentina Versca, a Ukrainian woman who recently escaped the war to Israelpic.twitter.com/MQNwsVfRgH

— Yonatan Gonen (@GonenYonatan) March 25, 2022

Valentina Verzka, winner of Jerusalem marathon

“Yesterday I met with her for the first time. She told me that her house in Mariupol was bombed, her husband is at the front line instead of running with her and she had not trained for a month. I told her to run with her heart and it would lead her to the finishing line. Today she finished the marathon in first place in the female section. All Israeli media were full of articles about her, she is now an international star. She cried from excitement and didn’t stop thanking us for the opportunity we gave her.

“On a freezing Jerusalem morning with rain and temperatures at 5°C, in the mud of Saker Garden, I looked at her wearing her gold medal and said to myself: ‘there are some things worth more than money, sometimes helping another person in the smallest way gives you the greatest joy. Thanks to everyone who helped Valentina reach Israel and turned one instagram message into a dream come true and an amazing win in the marathon. This is the story of the marathon for me, this is worth working for.”

Verzka said after the race that “my husband is serving in the army. He called me after the marathon and said that he is proud of me. My family in Ukraine have been left with nothing. During the marathon I saw a rainbow and I wish that there will be peace.”