23,000 runners will take part this Sunday in the Movistar Madrid Half Marathon and the ProFuturo Race, which features Gebrselassie and Mota as ambassadors
The Movistar Madrid Half Marathon and the ProFuturo Race were officially presented today at the Auditorium of the Central Building in the Telefónica District as part of the celebrations for Telefónica’s Centenary. This will be a historic edition in which participation records have been broken in both races with a total of 23,000 runners, 21,000 in the authentic Madrid Half Marathon, which sold out its bib numbers fifteen days ago, and which features two of the greatest athletes in history as honorees in this edition: Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie and Portuguese Rosa Mota. Gebrselassie will run the 21.097 meters of the renewed course through the streets of downtown Madrid this Sunday starting at 9h (ProFuturo Race) and 9h15 (Movistar Madrid Half Marathon). Rosa Mota will line up at the start of the ProFuturo Race.
The official presentation also marks the opening of the Runner’s Expo today, Thursday, April 4, from 13h to 20h, and Friday and Saturday from 10h to 20h non-stop in the Telefónica District, at the Services Building, where participants will collect their bib numbers and race pack, and where the ProFuturo Kids Races will also take place on Saturday between 17h and 18h. These Kids Races will bring together 500 young athletes, from babies to boys and girls aged 14.
At the event, hosted by Chema Martínez, Movistar athlete ambassador, and journalist Lourdes García Campos, attendees also included Sonia Cea, head of the Delegated Sports Area of the Madrid City Council; Alberto Tomé, general director of Sports of the Community of Madrid; Rafael Fernández de Alarcón, global marketing director of Telefónica; Magdalena Brier, general director of ProFuturo, Eduardo Ajuria, president of Agrupación Deportiva Marathon (race organizer); Isidro Arranz, president of the Madrid Athletics Federation; double marathon world champion Abel Antón as Joma Sport ambassador; and Mónica del Arco, from Joma Sport.
As part of ProFuturo’s “Runners with a Cause” initiative, runners Lorenzo Albaladejo and Álex Roca also spoke to announce their participation this Sunday in the race and highlight the organization’s firm commitment to making the Movistar Madrid Half Marathon and the ProFuturo Race fully inclusive events. Albaladejo already took part in last year’s edition and is considered the best athlete with cerebral palsy in the history of Spain in sprint events. For his part, Álex Roca is an athlete affected by cerebral palsy and a 76% physical disability, and he has managed to finish a marathon, becoming a major symbol of personal and athletic achievement worldwide.
Portuguese athlete Rosa Mota, honored in this edition of the Movistar Madrid Half Marathon, won gold at the Olympic Games, was World and European marathon champion, and in addition to being an icon for the integration of women into sports in the 20th century, continues running and breaking world records in 10 km and half marathon in her age group (over 65). “I keep running because I still feel I can be a champion, a champion of myself. It’s been many years, but I’m still having fun. On Sunday I’m going to run the ProFuturo Race, because running is a passion, I don’t have Facebook or social media, but thanks to running I make friends, and I keep doing it, it’s like my social network…”, said the Portuguese marathoner.
For his part, Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie has become an international ambassador for the race and will be on the start line this Sunday at the Movistar Madrid Half Marathon. Gebrselassie is a true legend of athletics and Olympic sport, thanks to his two gold medals in the 10,000 meters, his six World Championship medals (four of them gold), and he was awarded the Prince of Asturias Sports Award in 2011. He was also the first man to run under 2h04 in the marathon. The runner known for his “eternal smile” is an institution in Africa and wanted to join the celebrations for Telefónica’s Centenary: “I am very grateful for this tribute. I started running as a child because my school was 10km from home, and I ran there and back. Every day it was like running the Movistar Madrid Half Marathon to go and return… Running has become an essential part of modern life. We need to eat, sleep and also run to survive. Life used to be exercise in itself, but with today’s conveniences we’ve become more sedentary… And that’s why we’ve started running massively. Also, in terms of the elite, we are very close to breaking the 2-hour barrier in the marathon, we keep pushing limits. Probably in a couple of years or even sooner we can achieve it. With the new shoes athletes are flying,” said the Ethiopian during the presentation.
In addition to these great figures in the history of athletics, on the competitive side there will be a large group of African runners who will battle for victory and aim to break both the men's and women’s course records. In the men's field, Kenyan Cleophas Kibet Kandie stands out, with a 59:18 PB in the distance, although he will face strong competition from compatriots Mike Kipkorir, Peter Kibui Wangari and debutants Amon Kiptoo and Esphond Cheruiyot, as well as the young Ugandan Ezekiel Mutai (1h00:43), and Ethiopians Abe Gashahun Tilahun (59:46) and Tadele Demissie Yimer. Spaniard Ayad Lamdassem (1h01:21) will be the European with the best chances of finishing in the leading positions.
In the women’s field, Ethiopian Aberash Shilima Kebeda is the top favorite (1h07:28 in half marathon and 31:36 in 10km recently achieved in Valencia), although Kenyan Vivian Jerotich Kosgei will try to achieve her first major international mark this Sunday in Madrid and along with compatriots Beatrice Nyaboke Begi and Jackline Chelal will attempt to sweep the podium. Ugandan Annet Chemengich Chelangat (1h10:16) will try to spring a surprise and improve her personal best, as will Kenyan Carolyne Jepchumba Biwott, who is debuting in the distance. Ethiopian Meaza Hasen Mohammed and Mexican Citlali Cristian Moscote (who has run the Zurich Seville Marathon in 2h24), are also among the women aiming for top positions, along with Spaniard Clara Simal, from Agrupación Deportiva Marathon (ADMarathon), the organizing club.
Regarding participation figures, the increase in the number of women on the start line (26.3% of the total) and foreign runners (27.7%) stands out, both representing all-time records.
IMPROVED COURSE
The Movistar Madrid Half Marathon, after steady growth in recent editions following the pandemic, has even surpassed its all-time participation record, and a total of 21,000 runners will take on the 21.097 meters on April 7 in one of its most special editions, coinciding with Telefónica’s Centenary celebrations. The Runner’s Expo will take place on April 4 (from 13h to 20h), 5 and 6 (from 10h to 20h) in the Telefónica District, at the Services Building, where participants will collect their bib numbers and race pack, and where the Kids Races will be held on Saturday, April 6. Registration for these kids races is already open at www.carrerafundacionprofuturo.com.
Additionally, the course for this 2024 edition has been improved to make it even faster and more scenic than in previous years, while maintaining its start and finish on Paseo de la Castellana and Paseo de Recoletos, respectively. The final section of the race runs through Gran Vía and features a very favorable profile. In recent years, up to 8 athletes have already managed to break the one-hour barrier over its 21.097 meters. There will also be more entertainment points for runners and spectators.
PROFUTURO RACE
In parallel, on Sunday, April 7, the ProFuturo 5 km Race will take place. The ProFuturo Race was born in 2016 with a clear goal: running for education. Since then, it has taken to the streets of Madrid to celebrate a day full of sport and commitment focused on contributing to the ProFuturo educational program, in order to continue bringing the transformative power of education, innovation, and technology to boys and girls in every corner of the planet.
The ProFuturo Race celebrates its eighth edition this year, establishing itself as one of the most popular charity races held in Madrid. It is organized annually to raise awareness about the importance of ensuring quality education in the most vulnerable schools in the world. The host is ProFuturo, the educational innovation program with technology launched by Fundación Telefónica and Fundación “la Caixa” to reduce the educational gap in vulnerable environments in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia. Its intervention model is based on evidence of impact provided by continuous monitoring processes, studies, and evaluations.
ProFuturo relies on innovative teaching methodologies aimed at helping teachers and students develop skills to face the challenges of the 21st century. The program works with other institutions and companies and aims to create a large international network of teachers who teach, learn, and share knowledge to achieve better education worldwide.
The Movistar Madrid Half Marathon is the fastest half marathon in the city, distinguished with the “Road Race Label” by the international federation World Athletics, which includes it in its official road race calendar, and was named by the Madrid City Council as an “event of general interest for the city,” as it is one of the most iconic and traditional races in the country.
The race is organized by the Agrupación Deportiva Marathon, Atresmedia, and Sport Life Ibérica, with Movistar as the main sponsor and with the institutional support of the Madrid City Council and the Community of Madrid. Joma Sport is the technical sponsor and collaborators include Garmin, AhorraMás, Rafaelhoteles, Alquiber, Deloitte, ElPozo Bienstar, Vitaldin Sport, Gourmet Latino, Oakberry, and Physiorelax
