Young Attaoui sets the fourth-best Spanish mark ever in the 800 meters

The young Cantabrian athlete Mohamed Attaoui made it clear that he is one of the names to consider next Glasgow World Cupsafter signing this Friday in the French city of Lyon the fourth best Spanish brand of all time in 800 meter indoor trackwith a period of 1:45.49 minutes.

A sensational record that is not, however, allowed Attaouiwho reduced his current personal best -1:47.35- by almost two seconds, to take the victory, which went to Moroccan Abdelati El Guessewho won in a time of 1:45.28, the best world record of the year.

What did not escape the young athlete from Torrelavega, 22 years oldis the minimum requirement of Spanish Federation to participate in the Indoor World Championships to be held next March in the Scottish city of Glasgow.

Attaoui, bronze in the 1,500 at the U23 European Championships held last year in Espoo (Finland)cut nearly a second and a half off the 1:47.00 minute requirement of RFEA to participate in the indoor World Cup event.

The smallest Álvaro de Arriba from Salamanca, European champion of the distance in 2019, is very close to his debut this season in the 800 meters trial, after finishing third in Lyon with a mark of 1:47.05 minutes.

Xènia Benach won

But Attaoui and De Arriba were not the only Spanish athletes to shine this Friday in the room of Stéphane Diagana in Lyon, where the Barcelona’s young athlete Xènia Benach won the final of the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 8.06 seconds.

A record allowed Benach23 years old, achieve the minimum score required by Spanish Federation to participate in the Glasgow World Championships, after lowering the time -8.07- required by the federative body by one hundred.

And yes Xenia Benachalready left a great impression in the first semifinal, where the Spaniard finished second with a mark of 8.16 seconds, the performance of the one from Vilafranca del Penedés in the final was outstanding.

A test in which Benach, after taking the lead from an impressive start, fought off the final attack of Austrian Karin Strametz, second with 8.07, and Finnish Nooralotta Neziri, third with 8.08, to take the victory with a time of 8.06 seconds , his best mark of the season.

One step below the podium, in second position, Lorea Ibarzábal from Madrid ended her performance in the final of the 800 meters after setting a Lyon record of 2:01.94 minutes.

Not enough time for the Spaniards, who last Saturday achieved in Metz (France) the lowest World Cup with a time of 2:01.48, could prevent Ethiopian victory Tigist Girmafirst with a mark of 2:00.57 minutes, a new meeting record.

For his part, the Balearic boy Daniela Garciacurrent European under 23 outdoor champion and competing in his first 800 of the course, finished in fifth position with a time of 2:03.56 minutes, 14 hundredths away from his personal best -2:03.42-.

Naa 400 meters Asturian Iñaki Cañal will not repeat the victories achieved in Astana and Miramas (France), after finishing in 47.18 seconds in second place in the A final behind Frenchman David Sombe who won in 46.86.

However, the overall victory belonged to the Hungarian Attila Molnar, who won the B final with a mark of 46.43 seconds, a new meeting record.

Daniel Cisneros, for his part, had to settle for a time of 8.01 seconds with seventh place in the final of the 60 meter hurdles where the Madrid native entered after winning the first semi-final with a mark of 7.85 seconds.