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Three Afghan athletes in exile, a record share of women, and thousands of runners from 20 countries made the 29th edition of the Salto 15K a celebration of sport as a force for change. Free To Run was this year's solidarity cause. 

More than 3,500 runner, roller, and handcycling athletes took to the streets of Donostia-San Sebastián on Sunday, 25 Oct., for the 29th edition of the Salto 15K – one of the classic road races of the Basque running calendar.  

For SALTO FOUNDATION, this year's edition was more than a sporting event: It was a cornerstone of its impact events strategy, which places sport at the heart of its purpose to drive social change. 

A race with a cause: Free To Run 

SALTO FOUNDATION chose Free To Run this year as the beneficiary of the race's solidarity bib. Founded in 2014 by human rights lawyer and ultrarunner Stephanie Case, Free To Run is an international non-profit that uses running and sport to build leadership, education, and confidence among women and girls in conflict-affected regions, with programmes in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine. Free To Run is one of the latest organisations selected for SALTO FOUNDATION's Sport for Change programme.

The Salto 15K shows what sport can do when it is open to everyone. This year, thousands of people ran alongside three women who were forced to leave their country simply for wanting to be free. Supporting Free To Run through this race is our way of turning every kilometre into an opportunity for women and girls who are still fighting for that freedom.

Javier Roquero

Salto Co-Founder and Chairman of the Salto Foundation 

As a symbol of this partnership, the official race T-shirt was unveiled in Iraq where a group of young girls train regularly with Free To Run, connecting the runners of Donostia with the girls and young women the programme supports. 

Thanks to the solidarity bib, this edition raised €3,500 for Free To Run, funds that will go directly to its programmes helping women and girls in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine to run, lead, and build their own future. 

Symbols of freedom and resistance 

The most emotional moment of the weekend came from the three female Afghan athletes, forced to flee their country in 2021 after the Taliban returned to power: Hasina Hussain Zada, now living in Canada, and Nazira Khair Zad and Hanifa Rezaie, both living in Germany. All three ran the 15K wearing the solidarity bib, as symbols of freedom and inspiration. 

Hasina joined Free To Run in Kabul in 2016 and went on to run marathons and ultramarathons before joining the organisation's team. Nazira started running with Free To Run at the age of 13 in Bamiyan. Their message was clear: In a country where women are denied the right to run, crossing a finish line is an act of freedom. 

My dream is that one day all Afghan girls will be free to run and to choose their own future.

Hasina Hussain Zada, Free To Run

Women in motion 

Equality was a defining theme of this edition. Women made up more than 40% of all participants and 60% of the 5K field. On Saturday, the three Afghan athletes joined a group training session with local women from the Emakumeok Mugimenduan programme, who have been preparing together for the race since May. Two very different journeys met on the same road. 

On the sporting side, Elena Silvestre and Javi Menta took the women's and men's 15K titles. Silvestre extended her record as the most successful woman in the race's history.  

The SALTO WECOSYSTEM community, running together 

As they do every year, colleagues from across SALTO WECOSYSTEM joined the start line, turning the race into a shared challenge and a celebration of their community. This year, more than 50 colleagues from across the SALTO WECOSYSTEM ran together, proudly carrying the spirit of the race beyond the finish line. For SALTO FOUNDATION, every Salto runner is also an ambassador for the causes the race supports. 

The 2026 Salto 15K edition, by the numbers: 

Relive the race 

Watch the official SALTO 15K 2026 after movie: 

The Salto 15K is part of SALTO FOUNDATION's impact events strategy, which uses sport to raise awareness, engage the Salto community, and channel resources to the organisations it supports. SALTO FOUNDATION thanks the organisers, volunteers, institutions, partners, and every runner who made this edition possible, and looks forward to the 30th edition in 2027. 

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