Madrid’s 31st marathon, in which 15,000 runners took part, boosted Madrid’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. According to a Madrid 2016 media release, the event is one of the longest established city marathons in the world.
Madrid 2016 says the marathon is seen as a flagship for Madrid’s bid. Mariano Ruiz, Paralympic head, wore the number 2016 on his vest to further promote the bid. Ruiz, who is partially sighted, has four Paralympic medals for running half marathons.
Mercedes Coghen, Madrid 2016 CEO, said, “our marathon was one of the first of the modern city marathons and grows in stature every year. It shows how passionate the city is about our sport and how we want a bid for all the people”.
Spain’s Jose Manuel Martinez is the first Spaniard to win the race since 2001. There were celebrations in the streets when Martinez was the first one to cross the line.
