Simon Kibet Loitanyang, who thus signs a hat-trick of consecutive victories, and Elisa Spazzafumo, who triumphs on her debut in the 21km race in the Sardinian capital, are the winners of the 17th Af Motors CagliariRespira, the International Half Marathon of the City of Cagliari.
Kibet Loitanyang, a Kenyan runner who has been in Italy since 2016 and represents the Atletica Policiano Arezzo team, won by running solo for most of the race, finishing with a time of 1:07:47. Khalid Jbari, representing Athletic Club 96 Alperia, took second place, as he did in 2024, 3:15 behind. Michele Caggiano of Running Club Napoli finished third, 3:42 behind. Rounding out the top five were Davide Sughi (San Giorgio Piano, 5:28) and Andrea Mainas (Athletic Club Firex Belluno, 5:37). Seventh overall and first of the Sardinians was Marco Mattu, an athlete from Cagliari Marathon Club, 8:50 behind.
Viareggio native Spazzafumo, now a Cagliari resident and a member of the Atletica Edoardo Sanna Elmas, won in 1:20:13. The Tuscan athlete, who dedicated her victory to Ornella Vanoni, "a great singer, whom I thank for singing one of my favorite songs, L'appuntamento," turned her first appointment with CagliariRespira into a triumph. Elisabetta Orrù, representing the Cagliari Marathon club, finished second overall and first among the Sardinians, 3:02 behind. Raimonda Nieddu (6:54) of the Atletica Edoardo Sanna Elmas took third place. Rounding out the top five were Roberta Ferru (Cagliari Atletica Leggera, 8:57) and Giorgia Pilia (Isolarun, 10:27).
The winner of the 16th Delio Serra Memorial is Pietro Uras, of Atletica 4 Mori, first in the Sm65 and one hundredth overall with a time of 1h31'02”.
Over 2,300 participants took part in the 2025 edition of the event organized by the Cagliari Marathon Club: in addition to the more than 1,200 participants in the half marathon, there were also those registered for the non-competitive KaraliStaffetta, the thousand participants in the SeiKaralis, and the over one hundred children who took part in the KidsRun yesterday afternoon, held inside the exhibition center.
Men's winner Simon Kibet Loitanyang said: "I'm really happy to have achieved my third consecutive victory at CagliariRespira. I'm happy to be here; the course is beautiful, and even though there was a headwind in one section, it was fine and I had no problems."
Women's winner Elisa Spazzafumo added: "It was my first time competing, and I tried to run a smart race. I knew the course was challenging, so I started cautiously, and after the particularly windy section, I tried to pick up the pace. I'm happy because, unlike the previous 21km I ran, I didn't struggle at kilometer 17, thanks to my caution, and I'm happy with how I handled it. I dedicate this victory to Ornella Vanoni, a wonderful singer with a great personality. I loved all her songs, "L'appuntamento" was one of my favorites, and I'm grateful she sang it. I also want to dedicate it to Raimonda Nieddu. I'm so happy she's back in the race. I've missed her as a training and racing partner, and I hope to compete together again."
Cagliari Marathon Club President Paolo Serra stated: "The results for both the men's and women's races are based on predictions. In some places, the wind slowed the athletes down a bit, but we're satisfied. It's an event that combines sport with important issues like solidarity, environmental protection, and health. We've been pursuing this goal for 17 years, and this is precisely the reason CagliariRespira was born: asthmatics need to exercise. Scientific studies show that physical activity is a true medicine; they shouldn't be denied it."
The club's general coordinator, Ivan Onnis, added: "It was a fantastic day of sport, and the weather was also great. The athletes from the rest of Italy, and especially those from abroad, were thrilled with the city and the climate, because obviously, over there, the temperatures are prohibitive for outdoor sports during this time of year. Everything went well; it was truly a fantastic day."
For City Councilor for Sport Giuseppe Macciotta, who also ran in the 6km race this year, it was "a wonderful day of sport for the entire city. Cagliari is particularly pleased to host this event; it's a tradition that continues. Congratulations to the organizers and all the participants."
There are many stories behind such a well-attended event. Starting with that of winner Elisa Spazzafumo, a native of Viareggio who has lived in Cagliari since 2019 for professional reasons: "I'm happy both to be Sardinian by adoption and to have a beautiful place to live, and to have a beautiful place like Tuscany to return to. I'm a neuropsychomotor therapist, I work here in Cagliari with children with neurodevelopmental disorders, I adore them and want to send my regards to them all."
Also competing in the 21km are Patrizia and Ronny, originally from Italy but now living in Belgium, where they arrived a few days ago, bringing with them a group of friends as supporters, and ready to enjoy the city even as tourists.

Monica, a 57-year-old from Florence, has a degree in physical education and moved to Sardinia a year and a half ago because she loves it. "Cagliari is an open-air gym, the ideal place to implement the "From the Couch to the First Kilometers" project, created to empower women who, due to lack of desire, fear of taking risks, or difficult life experiences, need a complete new start. This time, I coached and accompanied Alessandra and Valentina in the 21km race, as well as three other women, two over 70 and one with fibromyalgia, for the SeiKaralis."
Yesterday was a busy day at the Fiera Milano Convention Center, featuring the conferences "Sport is Health," "Sport and Solidarity," which gave voice to self-funded associations through SeiKaralis, and "Sport and the Environment." There was also great interest in the free lung function screening program, which included spirometry and measurement of PHENO (exhaled nitric oxide, an important inflammatory parameter for asthma management). Two hundred tests were performed thanks to the collaboration between the Allergology and Clinical Immunology Unit of the University of Cagliari (sponsoring the event) and the National Patient Association "Respiriamo Insieme" (Let's Breathe Together) based at the University of Florence's Careggi Hospital. In the afternoon, the non-competitive KidsRun, reserved for children, also took place outdoors.
The Af Motors CagliariRespira is organized by the Cagliari Marathon Club with the patronage of Sport e Salute, the Cagliari City Council, the City Department of Sport, Heritage and Taxes, the Presidency of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, the Regional Department of Tourism, Crafts and Commerce, the Metropolitan City of Cagliari, the Cagliari University Hospital, the Medical Association of the Province of Cagliari, the Molentargius-Saline Park Authority, the Business Services Center, and under the aegis and technical approval of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) and the Sardinian Regional Committee (FIDAL). The L'Unione Sarda publishing group, the event's media partner, has significant coverage across all of its publications (L'Unione Sarda, Unionesarda.it, Videolina, and Radiolina) and, with Radiolina's DJs and speakers, provided the event's soundtrack.

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