MADRID, 2 Apr. (SportsFinding) –
Zaragoza hosts this Sunday (8:30 a.m.) for the thirteenth time in its history, and 60 years after the last time, in 1962, the LXXXIV Spanish Marathon Championship in which there will be two places at stake for the next European Championship , which takes place in Munich (Germany) from August 15 to 21.
The Plaza del Pilar in Zaragoza will host the start and finish of a marathon that will run through the most iconic locations of the Aragonese capital such as Paseo de la Independencia, Plaza de España, Plaza de Aragón, Coso, Audiencias, Roman Walls, Central Market, the banks of the Ebro, the Expo 2008 Zone and the Parque Grande José Antonio Labordeta, among others.
The two Spanish champions will obtain direct pre-selection for the European Outdoor Championship, provided they have the minimum participation established by the RFEA. For men, the minimum mark is 2:13:00, and for women, 2:30:15.
In the men’s category, two athletes of the 55 registered have already achieved the minimum for Munich, Jorge Blanco from León and Houssame Benabbou from Extremadura. Blanco arrives with the best entry mark, with 2:11:34, in his debut on December 5 in Valencia.
In 2021, Blanco set a personal record in all the distances on the road that he competed, as well as in 10,000 meters on the track, with 28:25.76 in the latter, 28:28 in 10 kilometers, 1h02:25, in a half marathon and 2h11:34 , in the 42,195 kilometers.
Benabbou’s best records came in 2019. Then, the disciple of Antonio Núñez stopped the clock in 2h10:45 in the marathon and 1:02:01 in the half marathon, both in Valencia. This year he has returned to his level with the 2:11:38 in Seville on February 20, which allowed him to opt for a place in the European Championship.
For personal bests, Ricardo Rosado’s 2h11:38 in Valencia in 2020 also stands out; debutant Ibrahim Chakir, who makes the jump to 42.195 kilometers from the 10K, where he has a best time of 29:12 in the last San Silvestre Vallecana Internacional. In 2022, the disciple of Enrique Pascual, master of marathoners such as Abel Antón and Daniel Mateo, has already been eighteenth in the European Cross Country Cup for Clubs defending the colors of Bikila Athletics.
Also making his debut is the former champion of Spain in the 3000 meter indoor track in 2019, the Catalan Artur Bossy, who arrives with a registration mark of 29:40 in 10 kilometers, achieved on January 9 in Valencia, and trained by a whole triple national marathon champion like Carles Castillejo. However, the winner in Tenerife on November 14, 2021, Carlos Gazapo, will not defend his title.
On the other hand, the veteran María Mercedes Pila will try to repeat her triumph from the last edition, who only a month after winning in Tenerife ran in 2h48:12 in Málaga, the third best time of her life at 42 years old.
Before her, another Spanish marathon champion in Castellón in 2017, Clara Simal from Madrid, who later became runner-up in 2018 with her personal best, 2:33:10. Among the 19 registered, Elena García Grimau from Madrid also stands out, who was the Spanish champion of 3000 meters on the indoor track in 2015, and who debuts in the marathon.
Parallel to the Spanish Marathon Championship, the Mann-Filter Zaragoza Marathon will be held, which will seek to improve the records of the event with a list of high-level Ethiopian athletes. The best men’s time is held by the Kenyan Peter Korir, with 2:12:31 since 2007, while the women’s is held by the Spanish Teresa Pulido, with 2:33:07 in 2008.
To beat the first, Zaragoza will have the presence of the Ethiopians Abdisa Teshome Duber and Tilahun Ayele Tariku, with personal bests of 2:10:21 and 2:11:03, respectively. In women, it will have two Ethiopians who know what it is to lose two and a half hours in the 42.195 kilometers, Tigist Teshome Ayanu, with 2:29:17, and Denbeli Chefo Shuke, with 2:29:51.