The race took place on Caídos de Ballobar Street, a traditional venue since its restoration in 1980, on Saturday, August 31st at 12 noon. Its origins date back centuries.
Javier Castells, from Monzón, repeated his victory for the second year in a row at the 33rd edition of the traditional Ballobar Footrace, held as part of the patron saint festivities of the Beheading of Saint John. The race took place on Caídos Street, a traditional route since its restoration in 1980; its origins date back centuries.
The children were the first stars of the day. They participated in the children's races, organized by age group. The mayor of Ballobar, Esther Saló, started each category and presented medals to all the participants, while Pedré Enrech and Belén Fumanall oversaw the races.
In the children's races there were about twenty participants and in the main race 22 athletes, 13 men and 9 women, took the start to run 30 laps in the central street and cover about 8 kilometers.
The main race proved highly entertaining thanks to the more than 40 prizes contested by the participants. In the men's category, after the first few laps and with the prizes up for grabs, the duo of Carlos Zárate from Zaragoza and Javier Castells from Monzón consolidated their lead. Zárate, true to the strategy he has employed for the last two years, which has made him the most decorated athlete in Aragonese road races, didn't engage in the battle for the prizes and focused solely on the overall prize, while his rival accumulated the same prize by winning several prizes and securing second place.
The third and fourth places were contested by two men named Pablo, one from Gandía, Pablo Reina, and the other from Zaragoza, Pablo Zárate. Ultimately, the Valencian, more experienced in running, crossed the finish line first, while the man from Zaragoza is a true master of race walking, as demonstrated by his eighth-place finish in the European 5km Race Walking Championships.
The other athletes, with little chance of the top spots, put their speed skills to the test in the race for the prize money. Young runners from Zaragoza, Mauro Larroy and Jorge Iritia, stood out against veterans from Lleida: Néstor Galindo, Juan Luis Pérez, Mustapha Elkhouyaali, and Noureddine Neggazi, as well as fellow veterans Marc Martínez, based in Alcañiz, and Toni Santisteban, from Vilafranca del Penedés. Santisteban is steadily accumulating the mileage of these century-long races. This was his 68th of the hundred he has completed worldwide.
In the women's category, Marwa Elkhouyaali from Lleida was unchallenged. She won every race she entered and, when she wanted, pulled away from her main rival to cross the finish line victorious. Veteran Eva Morraja from Alcañiz stayed with Marwa for many laps, knowing she had little chance of winning, but securing second place. Behind them came Ani Buero and Paula Jiménez from Zaragoza, finishing third and fourth respectively. Another group included Alexia González, Alba Abadía, and Laura Zarate, also from Zaragoza, and rounding out the women's standings were veteran Laura Rosell and her daughter, Judith Pérez, from Lleida.
Finally, as has been the custom in recent decades, recalling old traditions, the winners, Marwa Elkhouyaali and Javier Castells, danced the “jota of the chickens” or of the champions.
RANKINGS
Up to 3 years old . Girls : 1. Valeria Sasot, Adriana Orús Monclús and 3. Lucía Sasot. Boys : 1. Lánder Daniel and 2. Luca Sasot.
Ages 4 and 5. Children : 1. Javier Orús Monclús, 2. Aarón Lasala and 3. Nicolás Pocovi.
Ages 6 and 7. Girls : 1. Zoe Lasala.
Ages 8 and 9. Girls: 1. Carmen Castillón, 2. Alodia Sasot and 3. Paula Valera.
Ages 10 and 11: 1. José Juan Enrech.
Ages 12 and 13: 1. Maria Chavarria.
Absolute : Female : 1. Marwa Elkhouyaali, from Lleida, 2. Eva Morraja, from Alcañiz and 3. Ani Buero, from Zaragoza. Male : 1. Javier Castells, from Monzón, 2. Carlos Zárate, from Zaragoza and 3. Pablo Reina, from Gandía.
