32-year-old Alex Roca had always wanted to run a marathon, but his cerebral palsy made the dream especially challenging. The Catalonia, Spain resident developed 76% cerebral palsy as an infant, which left him with impaired movement and reflexes that make running difficult. Roca spent the last several years training for the marathon as a Nike sponsored athlete and completed several shorter races along the way. Roca’s hard work paid off when he recently finished the Barcelona Marathon with a time of 5:50:51, becoming the first athlete in the world to complete a marathon with a 76% disability. He collapsed at the finish line in excitement and was surrounded by cheering fans. Roca hopes his accomplishment will inspire others to go after their dreams, despite whatever obstacles they may face.
Image via Europa Press
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