Last weekend, Alex Roca made history, becoming the first person in the world with a 76 percent disability to complete a marathon. The Nike-sponsored athlete posted a triumphant, joyful video to Twitter, capturing the crowd’s cheers as he worked down the final stretch of the Barcelona Marathon, lunging across the finish line onto his back, pumping his fist, and receiving his medal amongst a hooting throng of supporters.
He wrote, “This has been possible thanks to ALL my team. Thanks to ALL of you who have been cheering, I HAVE NO WORDS…”
Roca has cerebral palsy, caused by cerebral herpes he contracted at six months old—doctors didn’t think he would live. He has reduced mobility on the left side of his body and communicates through sign language. He writes on his website that he currently has “studies, work, car, partner, and a ‘normal’ life,” and that sport is an important part of his daily life.
The 32-year-old from Catalonia finished the Zurich Marathon of Barcelona in 5:50:51, fulfilling a lifelong dream that he’s trained towards for several years, having completed seven half marathons in preparation for the full 26.2-mile distance. He’s also competed in several endurance challenges, including five triathlons, and in 2019, became the first person with cerebral palsy to finish Garmin’s Titan Desert race, a six-day multiple stage mountain bike race through the Moroccan desert between the Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert.
He was accompanied on the course by his interpreter, Valentí Sanjuan, and his brother Victor, who have both been by his side throughout his training and athletic endeavors over the years. They livestreamed Roca’s journey to the finish line on Twitch, and captioning an inspiring video posted to Instagram showing the trio celebrating, Sanjuan wrote, “Brutal that we lived it yesterday at the Barcelona marathon watching how the crazy man from @alexroca91 made history again.”
Before the race, Roca told the Spanish newspaper, El Mundo, “The limit is up to you, and if you want to achieve an objective, whatever difficulties you have, with attitude, willpower, perseverance and resilience, you can achieve everything you propose. And if you do not achieve it, you will have given everything and must feel gratified.”
Abby Carney is a writer and journalist in New York. A former D1 college runner and current amateur track athlete, she's written about culture and characters in running and outdoor sports for Runner's World, Running in the Cold, Best Running Shoes 2025, and other outlets. She also writes about things that have nothing to do with running, and was previously the editor of a food magazine.
