Alex Roca Campillo finishes the Barcelona Marathon: he is the first 76% disabled athlete to accomplish this great feat

Alex Roca Campillo has accomplished a feat that was unthinkable until a few days ago. He managed to finish the Barcelona Marathon42 kilometers and 195 metres, but the most surprising number is 76. That is, the percentage of disability due to cerebral palsy, following a herpetic viral encephalitis, which affected his mobility and posture since childhood. Alex never gave up: he became the first athlete in the world to cross the finish line despite these physical difficulties.

Along the streets of Barcelona fans, passers-by and other race participants were all for him. “Vittoria! Vittoria! Vittoria!” shouted dozens of people who accompanied Campillo, 31, to the finish line after 5 hours 50 minutes and 51 seconds. The stopwatch was immediately put in his pocket, Alex’s exultation and his tired but happy face made it clear the magnitude of what happened. Campillo was supported in this adventure by a team of specialists who followed him along the entire journey, including a psychologist and a nutritionist, given that he had to follow a special diet for the marathon. Alex cannot speak except through sign language.

Who is Alex Roca Campillo

At the age of six months, Campillo was struck by herpetic viral encephalitis which caused him cerebral palsy, a brain lesion which affects mobility and posture, limiting his activities and movements. Doctors had diagnosed his parents with a worst-case scenario: Alex would die soon, or at best remain in a vegetative state. Instead, thanks to his tenacity and a specific drug, he managed to stop the evolution of encephalitis. He then underwent tendon surgery to be able to walk. Campillo also had his left arm completely attached to his body, but thanks to years of work with physiotherapists he was able to improve his mobility a lot.

Alex Roca Campillo and the passion for running

Campillo had already dedicated himself to running in the past: he had already faced two half marathons and had become the 201st 76% disabled athlete to finish the Titan Desert, a very tough stage race that takes place in Morocco. Him up to become today the first in the world to finish such a long distance. “You set the limit and, if you want to achieve a goal, with attitude, willpower, perseverance and resilience, you can achieve anything you set for yourself, no matter how difficult it may be – he wrote on his social networks where he is very popular -. And if you don’t succeed, even if you have given up everything, you will feel truly rewarded”.