Athlete Pau Gisbert decided not to run in the Valencia marathon this weekend because he couldn't focus on training amid the devastation that hit Spain's third-largest city in recent flash floods.

Valencia made an emotional return to action with a 4-2 win against Real Betis at Mestalla on Saturday after flooding in the region took the lives of at least 221 people last month.

Tribute to victims of deadly Spain floods in Valencia Residents pay tribute to the victims of the deadly Valencia floods in Alfafar, Spain, by setting off their mobile phone ringers at the exact time of when an alarm message was sent on that catastrophic day one month ago.

The decision to celebrate a marathon in eastern Spain's Valencia just a month after deadly floods devastated the region has sparked controversy, with some saying it was too early and others welcoming a tourism boost that could help recovery.