Benidorm ‘breaks the silence’ to raise awareness of suicide prevention
The city is hosting firefighter Jaime Domínguez’s challenge, as he runs a marathon every day until completing 3,953 kilometres - one for each person who died by suicide in Spain in 2024
Today, the streets of Benidorm welcomed ultramarathon runner, Madrid City Council firefighter and psychology student Jaime Domínguez Ibáñez, known as JimmyGo, who is behind the ‘Break the Silence’ project. The initiative uses sport as a tool to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention through a challenge that will see him run 30 consecutive marathons across Spain over 30 days in August. The journey will finish in Santiago de Compostela.
This morning, JimmyGo, accompanied by athletes from Benidorm Athletics Club and firefighters from the Marina Baixa Fire Station, ran the full 42 kilometres in Benidorm. The first part of the route focused on Poniente Beach, with the final seven kilometres following sections of the Benidorm Half route, also taking in Levante Beach.
He completed today’s marathon at Plaza de Sus Majestades, where he was welcomed by members of the Town Council at 12.37 pm. The initiative also received support from BND Handball Club, Servigroup Hotels and the Hotel Managers Foundation, all of which have joined the project to help spread its message of awareness.
The stop in Benidorm is part of the second phase of the project, which began this year. Between 12 April and 1 June, Jaime Domínguez ran through all 179 municipalities in the Community of Madrid, covering almost 2,000 kilometres — the equivalent of around 45 consecutive marathons — interrupted only by his shifts as a firefighter.
The challenge is based on a highly significant figure: 3,953 kilometres, one for each of the 3,953 people who died by suicide in Spain in 2024. Every kilometre covered is intended to become an opportunity to talk about mental health, promote suicide prevention and highlight the importance of seeking help in time.
One of the project’s most symbolic elements is the ‘Torch of Silence’, a wooden piece on which family members and friends of people who have died by suicide write names, messages and dedications. The torch will accompany the entire journey to Santiago de Compostela, where it will be burned as a collective tribute to those who are no longer with us.
JimmyGo’s arrival at the finish line in Benidorm was preceded by a meeting held last night in the Town Hall’s Assembly Hall, where Domínguez explained the origins and aims of his challenge to dozens of attendees. Councillor Juan Díaz joined him for the Presidency, acting as interviewer. Among those in the audience were Mayor Toni Pérez and Councillor for Social Welfare Ángela Zaragozí, together with other members of the local government team.
From the stage, JimmyGo highlighted the importance of bringing together ‘sport and social causes’ to reach people who, in isolation, may find themselves ‘between life and death’. He also thanked everyone who has supported the project, including public institutions such as Benidorm Town Council and, on a personal and family level, his wife and daughters.
Domínguez also shared some of the experiences and anecdotes he has encountered during the challenge and stressed the need to address mental health issues, such as suicide and childhood bullying, openly and naturally. In this regard, he pointed out that “silence is what hurts the victim most” and emphasised the importance of offering hope to those going through a difficult situation, letting them know that other people “have been through similar circumstances and managed to come through them”.
