It is difficult to express more and better emotions. Marta Serrano, 20, after proclaiming herself champion of Spain in the 3,000 meter hurdles, the youngest ever to do so, burst with joy. “I don’t know how to describe how I feel,” he would say, but it wasn’t necessary. With the national under-23 record and the best mark in a Nationals (9:26.35), this Friday, in Torrent, a gold of double hope began to shine. On the one hand, the medal meant the confirmation of an athlete with a brilliant future (He was bronze in the European sub-23, two weeks ago); on the other, it brought the World Cups in Budapest very close, which will take place from August 19 to 27.
Marta, like Carolina Robles (third, 9:32.83), reached the Nationals with the minimum mark of the RFEA (the ground to be selectable), but without the necessary points in the World Athletics ranking (the first 36 classified have a place). After her brilliant performance, it would be rare for her presence in the World Cups, in which Robles herself could also be, to slip away. “I didn’t expect it, I was training very well, but I saw the absolute so far away… I thought the season was over, but now it may not. I don’t know what my ceiling is, this year has been incredible. I am advancing as an athlete, but with a head and calmly, because I always want to run a lot, ”he added at the finish line, with a smile that was impossible to erase.
Carolina and Marta train together under the guidance of Antonio Serrano, the winner’s father, like Irene Sánchez-Escribano (9:27.12) who, with the international minimum for Budapest, finished second. Both she and Serrano ran for Robles. “It had to be a fast race, for Carolina. I have told her that she helped him, ”admitted Marta. Carolina urgently launched the test from the beginning. She wanted rhythm, rhythm and more rhythm. In fact, she was not worth the relief that her two companions gave her. He always wanted to be in front. 3:07.91, he scored in the first kilometer; 6:16.63, in the second. It took its toll on him in a final attack by Escribano that Marta resisted to finish off. With an exquisite hurdle jump (she competed in combined events and her sister, Ainhoa Serrano, does it in the heptathlon) and a golden horizon.
Oumaiz orders silence
When he’s inspired and feeling strong, he wins like he did this Friday. Ouassim Oumaiz is a very pure talent, although it needs polishing. Without Mohamed Katir, with his mind set on the stellar 1,500 (this Saturday at 11:45, semifinals), he exploded again. The young Spanish project, born in Nerja 24 years ago, was proclaimed champion of Spain in the 5,000 meters, a distance for which World Athletics already had the minimum. Two weeks ago, at the Belgian Night of Athletics rally, Oumaiz achieved his personal best (13: 06.42) with the intention of adding his name to Pepe Peiró’s list. In Torrent, a 13:49.84 was enough to beat his great rival of the day, Thierry Ndikumwenayo (13:50.13)also with the WA brand, and a resistant Sergio Paniagua (13:50.19), who stuck to the pair of favorites.
“I could expect a race of any kind: fast, slow… I had trained very well in Madrid and I looked confident. My rivals have been very good, they have given war. When you enter the track, it doesn’t matter if one has a mark of less than thirteen minutes. In a rally, Thierry would have been the favourite, but the Nationals are another world”, celebrated Oumaiz, also a pupil of Antonio Serrano, after the victory. Ndikumwenayo, this year, had gone down three times in those thirteen minutes. The last one was in the Diamond League in Monaco, last week, in which Katir became the new European record holder. As Ouassim pointed out, totally soaked (73% humidity), it meant nothing. The one from Nerja, in the final stretch, after having a bad time psychologically in recent years, could even afford to shut up.
Pi joins Redondo and Tobalina
On a journey full of emotions, Laura Redondo was proclaimed five-time champion of Spain in hammer throwing. Her face changed during the attempts: disbelief, some joy, despair… her goal, beyond gold, for which he had little competition, was to achieve a good mark that would make him climb positions in the WA ranking (has minimal RFEA). At 68.11 meters, Your ticket to Budapest is still up in the air. His brilliant national career, however, continues to lengthen, like that of a Carlos Tobalina who, in weight, did not fail: sixth consecutive title (14th medal). The Spaniard, despite having enough points in the ranking, did not achieve the RFEA minimum (his best attempt was 19.65 meters and 20.55 are required). In the men’s pole vault, a test without World Cup options, Aleix Pi triumphed, leaving the best national mark of the year at 5.52 meters. “Next season I would like to get into an international championship,” he wished. The Spanish pole needs it.