Women who run with bulls at Pamplona’s San Fermín festival in minority

By&nbspEuronews&nbspwith&nbspAP

Published on
13/07/2025 – 21:08 GMT+2

Dressed in the traditional bull runner’s garb of a white shirt and red sash, Yomara Martínez sprinted in a recent death-defying morning run or “encierro” during the famous celebrations in the northern Spanish city of Pamplona over the weekend.

Yet despite being in a crowd of thousands, Martínez, 30, was among a handful of women daredevils running with the stampeding bulls at the San Fermín Festival.

“At the end of the day the bull doesn’t know about sexes, age or body shape,” Martinez said. “It doesn’t matter if you are woman.”

Every year, thousands of people line the medieval streets of Pamplona to witness the centuries-old tradition of running with bulls.

Many watch from balconies and wooden barricades along the course. Millions more follow the spectacle on television.

More women encouraged to take part

Women bull runners are rare, though Martínez and other women taking part in the adrenaline-fueled tradition as more than a spectator say it’s growing in popularity.

“I think many have a desire to see what it feels like but they don’t try because of fear,” said 32-year-old Paula López, a shop assistant who also took part in a run earlier in the week.

López said she grew up in the masculine world of bull fighting. She wasn’t fazed by how few other women take part in the event. “It is complicated but it is pretty exciting,” López said.

The bulls pound along the twisting cobblestone streets after being led by six steers.

Up to 4,000 runners take part in each bull run, which takes place over 846 metres (2,775 feet) and can last two to four minutes.

The expert Spanish runners try to sprint just in front of the bull’s horns for a few seconds while egging the animal on with a rolled newspaper.

Gorings are not rare, but many more people are bruised and injured in falls and pileups with each other.

A clouded reputation

The event’s reputation took a hit years ago following complaints by women about having suffered sexual harassment and abuse from revelers.

In 2016, five men raped an 18-year-old woman during the festival in an infamous case that sparked an outcry across Spain.

The men who had a WhatsApp group named “La Manada,” or “The Animal Pack,” were imprisoned for 15 years by the Supreme Court in 2019.

Since then, organisers have said they’ve stepped up security measures and amplified the police presence.

Women were not able to participate in the bull runs until 1975 due to a decree that was repealed one year earlier.