Fernando Carro and Meritxell Soler, Spain’s new half marathon champion

The Madrilenian Ferdinand Carro (Nike Running), national record holder of 3,000 m obstacles, and the Barcelonan Meritxell Soler (Avinet Manresa) declared this Sunday the Spanish champions in the half marathon with respective marks of 1h03: 41 and 1h12: 13 on a route with ups and downs next to the Paterna industrial estate.

Carro starred in a successful half marathon debut in a continuation race which gave him the title before Houssame Benabbou (1:04:09) and Juan Antonio “Chiqui” Pérez (1:04:33).

The victory in the 50th edition of the Gran Fondo was, however, for Moroccan Hicham Sigueni, from the ADA Calviá club, who beat Carro in the sprint in a time of 1:03:38, although he did not count for Spanish championship.

At an average speed of 3:01 minutes per kilometer, Carro, runner-up in the European steeplechase in 2018, closes the distance that separated him from Chiqui Pérez and Sigueni, who were ahead from the first kilometers, although not he can do. end the return with absolute success.

In addition to the national title, the race is at stake in two places for the World Half Marathon held for five months in Yangzhou (China), provided that the first two Spaniards classified here achieve the equivalent minimum mark (1: 03.30 in men and 1:12:30 in women) before the November.

Carro had to undergo double surgery last year on both Achilles tendons, so he returns to road racing competition, forgetting, temporarily, his specialty. In the 10 km nationals he was tenth with 29:55 and last week he ran the Vintage Run in Madrid (with a favorable gradient) with 28:08.

“A very good morning to race here. A pretty difficult circuit but not as hard as I expected. Every kilometer I feel lighter, I increase my pace and I pass people. Great to pick up the spark for the track. After the operation, it is a dream debut “, commented the new champion after crossing the finish line.

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The women’s race also recorded the success of the Moroccan. Majida Maayouf, from Bilbao Athletics club, was always ahead of the rest and ended up with the win in a time of 1h11: 55 and had a margin of 18 seconds over.

Meritxell Soler, who credited a 1:12:13 running average of 3:25 per km. A victory that adds to his success in the Seville half marathon.

Fatima Azaharaa Ouhaddou (Amo Alla), with a time of 1h12: 44, and Laura Méndez (Playas de Castellón), with 1h13: 14, completed the podium of the Spanish championship.

Organized by the Cárnicas Serrano club, the Spanish half marathon championship was held with a temperature of 25 degrees and humidity of 56 percent at the start, at 8:30 p.m.