The Paralympic skier is the first person with functional diversity to complete the test
BARCELONA, 24 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Paralympic skier Pol Makuri and the mountain runner and journalist Albert Jorquera fulfilled their shared dream of finishing the Oman Desert Marathon and also doing so in third position in pairs with a time of 35:10 hours to complete the 168 kilometers of running through the desert.
A feat that means that Pol Makuri, with cerebral palsy, becomes the first person with functional diversity to finish this very tough test, which only 56 percent of the participants who started were able to complete.
After many hours of chasing and training, the couple formed by Makuri and Jorquera crossed the finish line of the Oman Desert Marathon in third position as a team after 168 kilometers of self-sufficiency in 35 hours and 10 minutes of running, with 243,301 steps taken and 10,504 calories consumed.
“It has been a brutal race. An incredible experience. We have had very nice moments, we have laughed, we have passed through spectacular places that left us with our mouths open. But we have also had very hard moments. Pol suffered a lot with his foot when we were adding kilometers and also problems with the stomach. But we have known how to overcome the difficulties through struggle and camaraderie,” acknowledged Albert Jorquera.
The race passed through inhospitable terrain in the Sultanate of Oman, one of the most extreme red sand deserts in the world. In the first stage, 47 kilometers, Pol Makuri began to suffer as the kilometers passed and the last 20 were very hard.
On the second day, 55 kilometers, the sensations were repeated. A massage at one of the aid stations, around kilometer 30, meant that, even though he was suffering, he was able to reach the finish line after 12 hours.
In the third stage, semi-night and 47 kilometers, the stomach was the main problem. The time change at the start did not sit well with him and he had to stop and collect himself at the 20 kilometer aid station.
There the couple ate well and, at night, they were able to complete it. The last day was the shortest, that of arriving at the long-awaited goal of Bidiyah. Only 56% of the participants arrived there, which shows the toughness of this test.
“What has been most difficult for me has been the dunes, but it has also been the most magical part. It has been difficult for me because it is a terrain in which the right foot suffers a lot. We have pushed our body to the limit, but this has made me more strong as a person on a psychological level. I think it has been an impressive challenge that we took on and they will accompany us all our lives,” said Pol Makuri.