Moroccan Runner Sets Record, Wins Two Spanish New Year’s Eve Marathons

Moha Bakkali started the New Year’s Eve marathon in Gijón at 5 p.m. He covered the 6.4 km in just over 18 minutes and about two hours later, he followed up with the New Year’s Eve marathon in Oviedo. The Moroccan athlete residing in Asturias won both races, thus becoming the first in the history of Spanish athletics to win two New Year’s Eve marathons in the same day.

After climbing onto the podium and receiving the winner’s trophy in Gijón, Bakkali jumped into the first taxi to Oviedo, 26 km from Gijón, and participated in the race which he also won. The Moroccan athlete demonstrated his recovery ability, physical and mental strength in one day. For these two competitions, he wins a ham and various sports equipment in Gijón and 200 euros in Oviedo. So much effort for a small reward...