Dressed in a white cap and dark glasses, like many of the participants, this Friday, Álvaro Martín was proclaimed champion of Spain in the 10,000-meter walk for the sixth time. The man from Extremadura, a European gold medalist over 20 km twice, dominated from start to finish to open the Spanish Athletics Championships, which are held from this Friday to Sunday. In Torrent, with 28 degrees (feeling 30) and 63% humidity at 10:00 in the morning, when the test began, the sun was beating down. Martin, protected, too. He was very clear about his rhythm and put him from the first meter, without giving his pursuers any options, in a continuous battle for the other two podium positions. Finally, they went to Alberto Amezcua (40:04.75) and Pol McGrath (40:41.74)far from 39:39.22 winner.
In some Nationals that will have a lot of weight in the face of the list for the World Cups in Budapest, from August 19 to 17, the march comes apart. The six Spanish representatives are already selected: Álvaro Martín (20 and 30 km), Diego García Carrera (20 km), Alberto Amezcua (20 km), Marc Tur (35 km) and Miguel Ángel López (35 km).who saw his six national titles matched in the distance. What happened this Friday was one more test for the World Cup, which comes in turbulent times. Less than a year before the Paris Games, the march underwent a big change: the 35 kilometer test became a mixed relay (2×2) of marathon distance. Since then, the athletes have been on the warpath: “Athletics has to evolve, but we don’t like changes because of the forms, with this unprecedented relay that we don’t know how to prepare. We are fighting alone, without the support of the federation (This same week, the president, Raúl Chapado, defended himself)It’s a very tough road and I think we’re going to make it”, claimed Martín at the finish line.
At the start, all the World Cup players showed up in the top positions, with the athlete from Extremadura proposing a high-voltage rhythm, which projected a better personal best. 3:51 the first kilometer, 3:52 the second… A brave bet that was unsustainable, but enough to hang the first gold medal of the weekend. In a broken race from the beginning, Diego García, finally fourth, tried to hold on after him in the first kilometers. Like the young (21 years old) Pol McGrath, European champion under-23 a couple of weeks ago. The Catalan was able to resist until the end in the cajón, which ended up welcoming an Amezcua from less to more, being the walker who finished at the best pace, but without kilometers ahead to overcome a soaked Martín. “The conditions are terrible, as you are seeing…”added the two-time continental champion after his victory.
Alberto González replaces the mayor of Cienfuegos
In the last launch, Alberto González inherited the crown of Javier Cienfuegos, mayor of Montijo (Badajoz) since June and twelve times champion of Spain between 2009 and 2022. The athlete from Jaén, at 25 years old, had been at the wheel of the everlasting Cienfuegos, injured. He seemed called to be the successor and, in Torrent, although with a lot of suspense, he made good predictions. Kevin Arreaga, with 69.43 meters in his second attempt, led the test until the last turn, when González, on the horn, reached 70.02. With one more opportunity ahead, Arreaga, trained in the American NCAA, could not recover (69.96). “I have not won with the brand that I would have liked, but I was coming for the gold. I have always said that I am a man of latest releases. Before entering the circle, I thought that the champion of Spain was me”, celebrated Alberto, without minimum for the World Cups, but the new king of the Spanish hammer.