Career Leones Negros breaks attendance record in its eighth edition

At 6:00 a.m. sharp, the competitors were already positioned on Juárez Avenue, ready to step onto the starting line located in front of the building of the Rectoría General from the Universidad de Guadalajara.

A few minutes before the starting flag, Dr. Ricardo Villanueva Lomelí, Rector General of the Universidad de GuadalajaraHe thanked the competitors for their participation and dedication in joining this eighth edition, and also declared that the “Race Leones Negros"It is the largest in all of Jalisco, with the number of participants increasing year after year." 

The 10k "Overall Men's" category was dominated by Omar Alfredo Vázquez, who achieved an official time of 32 minutes and 17 seconds. Meanwhile, in the 10k "Overall Women's" category, Jennifer Michel Balvanera Robles was the champion with a time of 40 minutes and 58 seconds. 

In the "Inter-University" contingent that ran 10k, Diego Javier Ángeles and Mariana Sarahí Gómez, both representatives of the Centro Universitario de Arte, Arquitectura y Diseño, in a combined time of 1 hour and 21 minutes. In second place were Joseline Atziri Madrigal Robles and Noe Romero Chávez, who achieved a combined time of 1 hour and 19 minutes, representing the Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, while the first place went to students from Centro Universitario del SurGeyni Iztlacihuatl García Alonso and Joaquin Iván Oregel Sánchez, who achieved a time of 1 hour 17 minutes. 

This year's race featured five categories of runners, with the "B1 and B2" categories standing out. These categories included wheelchair users, the visually impaired, and the totally blind. Jaime Gómez Castillo took first place in the B1 category, completing the 5k in a wheelchair in just 25 minutes and 14 seconds. In the women's category, Ana Lilia Zúñiga Cornejo claimed the top spot, completing the 5k in a wheelchair in 39 minutes and 4 seconds. 

Lions with history

At the end of the race, several competitors, from the youngest felines to the oldest members of the pack, shared their stories and motivations for running today, such as Mateo Sahid, an 11-year-old boy who decided to compete in the 5k category:

“I decided to run at my aunt’s invitation and because of the encouragement of my cousins ​​and sisters. It was an experience that made me feel very fulfilled and happy; I would definitely participate again next year.”

Similarly, it is well known that it is better to run in a pack, so the married couple Rubén and Edith decided to participate in the 5k contingent of the Race Leones Negros: 

“This is the first year we ran together and it was a really fun and enriching experience; we will definitely be back for the next edition.”

And once again, the Race Leones Negros It featured the participation of Don Simón Canela Magallón, who began his passion for athletics at the age of 82 and today, at 102 years old, managed to complete the 5k race and posed for the cameras with his medal and a huge smile. 

Attentively
"Piensa y Trabaja"
“30 Years of Autonomy of the Universidad de Guadalajara and its network organization”
Guadalajara, Jalisco, October 20, 2024

Text: Anashely Fernanda Elizondo Corres
Photo: General Coordination of Social Communication UdeG