Alex Roca, an Athlete with Cerebral Palsy, Discusses His Upcoming Challenges from Elche

The "greatest challenge of my life" in sports. This is how Alex Roca, an athlete with cerebral palsy and 76% physical disability, described the Paris Olympic Marathon. The 33-year-old Catalan successfully completed the over 40-kilometer race following the same circuit as professional athletes.

His next big challenge? Roca has avoided discussing it, though he assures that he already has several in mind for next summer and within two years. For now, he will focus on regaining strength and participating in other races with a more social aspect.

This was confirmed at one of the Circular Conferences of the Alicante Chamber of Commerce, held this Tuesday at the El Plantío golf course restaurant in Elche. There, Roca shared his achievements and a life full of stories of overcoming obstacles, bringing tears and applause from those present.

The athlete, who has a 76% disability due to cerebral herpes contracted when he was just six months old, is globally famous for completing major sporting challenges. The upcoming ones, though still a mystery, will take place next summer.

"When you achieve a giant goal and set another one, you don't appreciate the one you just accomplished," Roca admits regarding his next major challenge in relation to the Paris Marathon he completed a month ago. The athlete states that "I have several challenges ahead, but I need to first process everything that has happened."

The Catalan sportsman, who trained "a lot and very hard" over the summer, admits that these tough challenges exhaust his body and he needs time to rest. Therefore, from September to next year, he participates in other types of competitions, more focused on social causes.

The next race on his radar is 'Tots en marxa por la paràlisi cerebral,' a race in Barcelona aimed at raising awareness about this disability. "My next goal is to win my category in the cerebral palsy race; my objective is to continue showcasing this disability," he admits.

For Roca, he "owes" society "something that it has given me, which is the position of influence I have." That is why in the coming months he will participate in more solidarity-focused races before once again surprising the world with one of his major sporting achievements.