Ethiopian Galician’s record that will change the “unfair” aid given to the marathon: “Shoes do not run alone”

When he crossed the finish line in Valencia, he was enthusiastic, excited, soaked… Yet he had the courage to condemn the situation he experienced while preparing for the exam that lifted him up. “If you saw my bank account it would make you laugh. Other than ignoring me and making me wait months to respond, the federation told me I didn’t meet the criteria. People freak out when I tell them I have no help.“He made a statement urging the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA) to take swift action.

Why do we need to change the help system?

The president of the side himself, Raúl Chapado, spoke to Tariku after the incident and discussed the problem reported by the Spanish record holder this week. “I do not claim a better future for myself, I want it to be for all disciplines. marathon. Fortunately, our sport is going through a great time in both the men’s and women’s categories. (Majida Maayouf also broke the women’s record in Valencia with 2 hours 21:27). The benefits system is completely unfair. It does not take into account all the difficulties and conditions of the marathon,” Novales decried in a conversation with El Periódico de España of the Prensa Ibérica group.

The system mentioned by the Spanish athlete prioritizes performance with the national team. He was not called up from 2019-2023 due to injuries and other issues. Finishing 21st at the Budapest World Marathon put him far away from receiving a scholarship. “Marathons are held several times a year. The more they compete in other disciplines, the more likely they are to receive these grants. Not only in economic terms, but also to cover any expenses an athlete might incur while traveling or preparing for the Olympic Games. But I have to say this First contacts to achieve a better help system have been very positive“, reveals Tariku Novales.

He will be one of the representatives of Spain Paris 2024“It is a date that I am very excited about and one that will determine its goals through the preparations we will make. We will find a track with lots of climbing there, A decisive factor for athletes who do not run in bare two hoursto be able to compete at a higher level face to face.” While RFEA waits for the pricing system to be resolved, The support that the Spanish record holder will not miss is as follows: adidas.

Adidas’ ‘magic sneakers’

“My relationship with them started in 2020, just before the pandemic. Despite the pain I experienced during this period, I had a bad relationship with my sport due to a series of injuries I constantly suffered. Adidas continued to support me and treat me with great compassion. He did this even though the results were not worth it as an investment. But unlike other brands, they realized it wasn’t about having a good time. This is the only financial support I have“, claims Novales.

The athlete, who has just broken the Spanish marathon record, is suffering from an intense emotional hangover. He had a personal comeback in which he made decisions and took on changes. He managed to return thanks to his closest circle. a personal situation about being kicked out of the sport, where it develops naturally. “I knew from a very young age that my talents were focused on long distance. There was no need to be afraid, but there was respect. In 2019, I debuted with a good performance in the half marathon. “The pandemic stopped development due to lack of motivation, but participating in the marathon for the first time was the right decision,” he explains.

On November 23, the marathon runner announced his new feature Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1They are called “magic shoes” because they contribute to narrowing down the 2-hour challenge in the marathon. With one of only 521 pairs available worldwideEthiopian Tigist Assefa broke the women’s world record of 42.19 meters at the last Berlin Marathonstops the stopwatch at 2:11:53, two minutes less than the previous mark. Kenyan Kevin Kiptum broke the men’s best record at the last Chicago Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 1 minute and 9 seconds. He did it with another high-end shoe, the Nike Alphafly 3 Proto.

Valencia rabbits failed

The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 weighs 138 grams and comes equipped with innovative technology, “but as I always say: shoes don’t run aloneTariku Novales agrees that they represent a radical evolution over the 2017 model, “although they won’t do the work for you or sacrifice themselves. What’s certain is that my legs aren’t that worn out right now. Finally, All brands are developing this style of shoes and there won’t be much difference. I was lucky enough to race the Evo 1, which stands out for its responsiveness, but the result is the result of work and sacrifice. “Other athletes who wore these did not achieve these goals.”

Despite the coup that the Valencia Marathon represents, the race was not easy. “The goal was to get under 2 hours and 6 minutes. The rabbits hired by the organization during the race did not do a good job. I had to put a lot of effort and talk to them during the test. I changed the plan to avoid missing the goal, so I place great value on finishing the match very strongly. “I spent a lot of energy,” he says.

Behind Tariku Novales’ marathon record is a long road of search and redemption, accompanied by his two coaches, among others. Juan del Campo And ‘Luismi’ Martín BerlanasBesides his manager Alvaro Jiménez. His training took place at high altitude in the Sierra Nevada (Granada) and in Ethiopia, where he was born in 1998, which he learned after some time. As the Spaniard says, it’s “easy to explain”.

“Spain is not racist; there are many racists”

“A journalist distorted what I said. It seemed like I didn’t know my age, or that it was impossible for me to know. When I came to Spain – when I was six – They subjected me to medical examination to determine my age. This method is quite accurate. It was released for several months between 1998 and 1999. They gave me the second one for a year to adapt. Later, while studying and working, I always associated myself with the 98’s. I felt more comfortable and competitive with them. Knowing that there was this margin of error, I insisted and after a lot of red tape, we arrived at 1998, the year I always felt,” explains Tariku, who is celebrating his birthday March 8, International Women’s Daya date chosen by his family for its symbolism.

In January 2021, the athlete wanted to personally search for his roots in Ethiopia. He found some answers and encountered the unknown. “I wanted to know what my life was like before I was six. I was able to gain a lot of information. It was good for me to establish bonds that I would later develop at the sporting level.. In Ethiopia, I can train with the best distance runners in the world,” says someone who is proud of his past, present and future in a public statement.

The Ethiopian Galician shared the xenophobic messages he received due to his skin color and the suspicion that he was Spanish, on his X account (formerly Twitter). She also added examples of support. But his summary was the clearest and most direct. “Spain is not a racist country. There is a lot of racism in Spain, but this is different.”. Despite some people, Tariku Novales, who started athletics at the Noia Athletics Club in his childhood, is the great Spanish hope of the marathon, which he honors with his brands and demands. to incite a sporting revolution that will result in fairer discipline.