This Saturday, the Benidorm Semi resolved its roll of honor for the 2024 edition in the distances of the Half Marathon and 10 km in its men’s and women’s categories. Luis Agustin Escriche won the 21 km with a time of 1:07:23 for men and Laura Mendez She did the same in the women’s race with a time of 1:16:35, also breaking the test record. For his part, in the ten kilometers, the winner was David Palaciowhich stopped the clock at 30:08, and the distance champion was Maria Fuentessealing one hour of 34h00.
A total of 6,500 runners competed between the two distances, who covered approved circuits, included in the RFEA calendar, passing through the Mediterranean balcony.
The test started at 5:30 p.m. and held a special memory for the victims of the tragedy caused by DANA. The start and finish arc, at the same time, showed a message in memory of the deceased and to all affected people and areas, and showed the Senyera with black crepe. The Benidorm Half 2024 circuit, with a route shaped like the skyline of the tourist city par excellence, began with the start on Avenida Comunidad Valenciana (corner with Calle Belgica) and the finish line in Plaza de SS tea. Kings of Spain from Benidorm (City Hall).
In the Half Marathon, Luis Agustín Escriche (CA Albacete-Diputación) was the champion of this edition of the Benidorm 2024 Half Marathon with a time of 1:07:23. Escriche arrived as Spanish Team Marathon Champion 2024 and Valencia Provincial Circuit Champion 2023. Second place was that of Marius Garman (Independiente) with a time of 1:08:39, completing the podium with Constan Jaén (AC Manchathon), with a record of 1:09:10.
“I wanted to come and win and it’s done. In terms of sensations, they were irregular, but I knew how to suffer and maintain the rhythm and achieve victory, which was the important thing. The public supported us and the organization took care of us very well and I can’t wait to repeat this another year,” said Luis Agustín Escriche.
The Valencian Laura Méndez (Independiente) was proclaimed champion of the Benidorm Half 2024. But also, the Olympic marathon runner from Tokyo 2020, did it in a big way, since that of Almussafes, based in the port of Sagunto, achieved a time from 1:16:35, break the test recordowned by María José de Toro (1:18:58, in 2023). Precisely, De Toro (Atletismo CP La Roda) crossed the second goal in 2024 with a time of 1:21:25 while Rebekka Birkeland (Independiente) finished in third position with a time of 1:22:45.
“I feel good. I’m at a slightly different time in my sporting career, because this summer, I trained a little less because I needed a little “reset” and I’m gradually getting back to enjoying myself. And I’m super happy. In the first kilometers I was helping my training partner Ainhoa; I accompanied her until kilometer 9 and then tried to maintain a pace that wouldn’t catch me from behind. The atmosphere here in Benidorm is spectacular and I have been very comfortable thanks to the warmth of the public and the organization”, underlined Laura Méndez.
In the 10 km, the athlete David Palacio (Scorpio 71), during his third participation in the Benidorm event, managed to win with an hour of 30:08. He had achieved two second places in previous events, but in 2024 he was proclaimed absolute champion in the 10,000m. The second to cross the finish line was Harry Johnson (Halifax Harriers), who recorded a time of 30:34 compared to the 31:10 of the third athlete to cross the finish line in the 10km, completing the podium, just like Rubén. Monreal (Numantino Athletics).
“The third time was the charm. I am very happy, I had very good feelings throughout the test, in fact it was the best time I achieved of the three participations I had in Benidorm and I enjoyed this much more year. There are 10 of us in the organization and I can only congratulate and thank them,” explained David Palacio.
In the women’s team, María Fuentes Olcina (Club Atletismo Elda-Egari) was proclaimed champion of the 10 km of the Benidorm half. with 34 hour recording; followed by Julie Lejarraga (Metasport) with a time of 35:04, while Ainhoa Martín (Facsa-Playas de Castellón) finished third with a time of 35:29. María Fuentes’ time also meant breaking the Benidorm event record, held by Mari Luz Tesuri with a time of 34:02, achieved in 2023.
“The feelings have been very good from the start. I managed, by feeling, I didn’t look at the time because I knew it was a hard circuit, which is what I did last year. I finished strong and ultimately got the win. The organization, the public, the course and the entertainment are enough to be very satisfied. I will repeat it next year, but in the media,” said María Fuentes.
Olympic and Paralympic figures
This edition of the Benidorm Half brought together Olympic and Paralympic personalities as well as elite athletes. In the queen distance of 21 km, the Valencian was in an Olympic touch Laura Mendezwho participated in the 2020 Tokyo Marathon event.
As part of the 10K, they were Fermin Cachodouble Olympic medalist in the 1,500m: first a gold medal for history as champion at the Barcelona Games in 1992, then as vice-champion with a silver medal in Atlanta in 1996.
The 10K also had Arthur CasadoOlympic in Beijing 2008 in 1,500. With the most recent participation, as recently as last summer, the Paralympic marathon Carmen Paredes He was at Paris 2024 and, before that, at Tokyo 2020 and Rio 2016.
A benchmark test in continuous growth
The Benidorm Half 2024, which celebrated the 40th anniversary of the essay The half-marathon recorded a total of 6,500 registered between the 21 km and the 10 km, with very homogeneous figures, almost fifty percent for each distance. The total census is the best ever carried out for the Benidorm event and constitutes a benchmark in the province of Alicante.
The breakdown of the figures goes even further with a notable milestone in terms of foreign participation: 48% arrived from 25 different countries (3,210 people will arrive in Benidorm from outside Spain), but specifically 43.1% the will do as residents of the United Kingdom. (2,800). In addition to the British, the top ten by country is completed by Norway, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands, Sweden, France and Germany.
He 52% of runners are Spanish (3,290), representing a total of 46 provinces. Almost half of them, or 23%, come from Alicante; The top ten continues with Valencia, Madrid, Albacete, Murcia, Toledo, Cuenca, Ciudad Real, Castellón and Barcelona.
Concerning the total number, of the 6,500 registered, 61.4% are men and 38.6% women. By distance, in the case of the 10 km, 53.1% will be men and 46.9% women; in the 21K, 69.4% are registered for 30.6%. To analyze how these figures translate into impact after the race, a study will be carried out by the Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences of the University of Valencia.
For the safety of the runners, a large device was available with a Mobile ICU, six ambulances, a field hospital, twelve doctors, ten paramedics and 35 members of the Red Cross.
The Benidorm Half is organized by Tour-Sport Promociones Deportivas and has the institutional support of Benidorm City Hall, Visit Benidorm and Turismo de la Comunitat Valenciana while the private sponsors are Meliá Benidorm, Coca-Cola and Sala Marina.
