The return of the San Silvestre to the streets of Asturias has had its own name. The one with Moha Bakkali. The athlete has managed to reach the finish line first in the Gijón races, first, and Oviedo, later. It is a feat so far only achieved by Marcos Peón, his current coach, and Bruno Toledo. The Moroccan athlete’s crush was the finishing touch to the return of the traditional end-of-year race to the Asturian streets that as always, although with more security measures, were filled to cheer and cheer the runners.
Bakkali and Isabel Barreiro, the fastest in Gijón
Moha Bakkali and Isabel Barreiro prevailed in the 52nd San Silvestre de Gijón, the oldest in Asturias and the fourth in Spain in an edition that registered the participation of 4,700 athletes who traveled a circuit modified with respect to previous editions and with a length of 6 kilometers.
Bakkali (Real Sociedad) and Barreiro (Valencia Athletics) fulfilled the predictions that indicated them as favorites and beat their rivals in a very close race in both categories and that represents the third victory for both
In the men’s event after Bakkali, Yousef Benkert and Bruno Villazón completed the podium, while in the women’s event Beatriz Álvarez and Míriam Benkert seconded Isabel Barreiro.
The great novelty of this edition was the change of circuit that with the same distance as in previous editions was more urban since it passed mostly through the interior of the city instead of the Paseo del Muro de San Lorenzo in which the runners only ran on their final stretch.
Prior to the big test, several more were contested with shorter distances for the rest of the categories, all of them with strict health safety measures that required the use of masks until the start and once the finish line was crossed.
… And Bakkali, also the fastest in Oviedo
Moha Bakkali achieved on the second attempt what he could not achieve in 2018. He won first in the San Silvestre de Gijón and then he did it in the Oviedo. He had to endure the strong rhythm imposed by Alejandro Onís, an athlete from the East, and with 500 meters left he gave the final pull. Third entered Diego Menéndez, from Piloñés from Playas de Castellón. Bakkali is trained by Marcos Peón, who also leads the female winner, Patricia Álvarez, from the University of Oviedo. He dominated the test with relative comfort and from the middle of the route he took a wide advantage over Noelia Menéndez, from Ribadesella, and Carla Fernández, from the Oviedo Triathlon.
A new Alfonso wins in Avilés
In Avilés, David Alfonso continues to tread firmly following in the footsteps of his sister Irene and won the avilesina test. The athlete from the University of Oviedo covered the 5.2 kilometers of the route in 14:42, with a six-second advantage over Eduardo Romero, from Fútbol Club Barcelona. Third was Víctor González, from Oriente Altietismo, who did 15:24. In the female category, Laura González Gion, from the Covadonga Group, achieved victory with 17:51, ahead of María González (DC Luanco), who registered 18:23, and Esther Menéndez, also from the University of Oviedo, who scored 18:43.
Moradiellos triumphs in Mieres
Juan José Moradiellos, an Asturian athlete from Tenerife, won the Mieres race, ahead of José Antolín, from the Stadium, and the local Roberto Gutiérrez, from the Mieres Athletics Club. The best woman was Jessica López, from Horizonte Gijón, who beat Andrea Casado, independent, and Deva Barcia, from Atletismo Mieres.
The thing is between brothers in Pola de Laviana
Pola de Laviana experienced the success of the brothers Diego and María Suárez, who prevailed in the male and female categories, respectively.
Javier Mier dominates and wins in Grado
The Moscona event got up early, which consisted of a test by bicycle and on foot. The athletic race was dominated by Javier Mier, from La Cerezal Team, an athlete who was second in Las Regueras. In this council Máximo Cordero won, who in Salas had to settle for second place behind Manuel Berguño. The women’s podium in Grado was made up of Estefanía Fernández (Mueve-T GM Moscón), Soraya García (Mountain Bike Somiedo) and Carlota Solar. In Salas, Belén Bascoy (ADN Rías Baixas), Henar Suárez and Paula Menes. Estefanía also won at Las Regueras, with Eva María Rico (Horizontrail Langreo) and Sara Álvarez (Escuela Multisportes Corvera) on the other two steps of the podium.
Nogeiro wins in Luarca
Diego Nogueiro, from Club Atletimo Occidente de Navia, and Mercedes Menéndez, from the Luarca Final Straight won the Luarca test.
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