Madrid hosts the Spanish Championship with absences and has its sights set on Istanbul

The Spanish Indoor Athletics Championship, held at the Gallur sports center in Madrid (February 17-19)will have the participation of 512 athletes, many of them in search of a passport for the Europeans in Istanbul (Turkey) in March, and with notable absences such as Mo Katir, Mario García Romo, Orlando Ortega, María Vicente and Ana Peleteiro.

The Murcian Mariano García, current European outdoor and indoor world champion in the 800, comes endorsed by his victories in Sabadell and Bostonalthough the national championship has only been won once, in 2019.

In the same test were Saúl Ordóñez, Adrián Ben and Javier Mirón, who won last week in Mondeville, ending a trial of misfortunes and injuries that kept him out of competition for nineteen months until last January.

Lorea Ibarzabal, 28, from Madrid, signed a few days ago at the meeting in Metz (France) with a time of 2:01.00 in the 800the second best Spanish brand of all time, allowing it to be the main candidate for the national title in Madrid.

The 60 meter hurdle seems to be a matter of two, the Valencian Quique Llopis and the Navarrese Asier Martínez, European champion of the 110 hurdles last year. To complete the podium, the candidate is Kevin Sánchez from Granada, second at the Mondeville Meeting last week.

In the men’s 400 meters the excitement will be at its highest with a wide shortlist of candidates for victory and also with the purpose of going to Istanbul. On the registered list are the main candidates Manuel Guijarro and Iñaki Cañal, who meet the European and Spanish minimum; Óscar Husillos, who sought that minimum in Torun but did not reach it; and Lucas Búa, who this year has not yet competed internationally.

One of the most anticipated tests is the 3,000 meters. In the women’s category there will be a close battle between Marta Pérez from Soria, Marta García from Leon, Águeda Marqués from Segovia and the Spanish cross country champion Joselyn Brea, while in the men’s category stand out presence of Adel Mechaal, who starts as favorite in his first 3,000 of the season, joined by Daniel Arce, Sebastián Marcos and Fernando Carro, who after overcoming a long injury returned to great competition.

The men’s triple jump will direct all eyes to Jordan Díazworld leader of the year indoors with 17.49 meters, a Spanish record, while in the women’s, there is no Ana Peleteiro, who returned to training two months after giving birth, the presence of veteran Patricia Sarrapio stands out, 40 years old, looking for his eighth national title against youngsters like Osasere Eghosa or Naroa Furundarena.

The 1,500 menafter the resignation of Mohamed Katir and Mario García Romo in recent weeks, This seems to be the deciding factor in the rivalry between Jesús Gómez (3:36.33) and Ignacio Fontes (3:38.22).although Gonzalo García Garrido will also be hoping for a leading role after the step he took in 2022 with his sixth place at the European Championship in Munich.

CHAMPIONSHIP DATA

The most successful athletes in the history of the Spanish Championships are Ruth Beitia and Manolo Martínez, both with 16 titles. The Cantabrian, from 2002 to 2017 in the high jump, and the Leonese, from 1993 to 2008, in the shot put.

The active athlete with the most titles is Úrsula Ruiz from Murcia, accumulating eleven gimped weightsall in a row from 2010 to 2020, while among men middle-distance runner Adel Mechaal is at the top, with nine titles in the 1,500 and 3,000 meters between 2015 and 2022. The Catalan is in Madrid and could add his harvest.

Among those who will participate in the championship, besides Adel Mechaal, Also noteworthy are the seven titles held by Patricia Sarrapio in the triple jump, Esther Guerrero in the 800 and 1,500 meters and Eusebio Cáceres in the longitude. (although he is registered in the heptathlon); and six titles for Fátima Diame in the 60 meters and long, Pablo Torrijos in the triple, Óscar Husillos in the 200 and 400 meters and Daniel Rodríguez in the 60 and 200 meters.

The youngest male or female athlete to participate in the Spanish Championship is Aitana Alonso from Palencia, who will compete in the high jump at the age of 14, the same age as Valencian Luna Arnás, who will compete in the long jump. Both are Spanish U16 record holders in indoor track in their respective events.

On the other hand, the oldest is middle distance runner Alejandra Gálvez, who is 45 years old and will run in the 1,500 meters. The oldest athlete is, at 40, pitcher Eloi Rovira.

106 clubs will be represented in the championship, four less than last year in Orense. The club that contributes the most athletes is Playas de Castellón, with 60 athletes, followed by FC Barcelona with 39.