Paul McGrath, European silver in the 20km walk

Paul McGrath (Barcelona, ​​​​2002) won silver in the 20 kilometer walk of Rome European. The Gavà marcher took his first steps in the tartan of Bottle and polished Cornellà in the leadership of Alejandro Aragoneses. Son of a Scottish father, fan of Glasgow Celtic. Admirer of the style of the great Ecuadorian marcher Jefferson PerezOlympic gold in Atlanta 1996, where he eats videos to learn from his refined technique.

It’s been 18 years since the European march ended in a stadium – ever since Gothenburg 2006-, with a massive 19-lap circuit around the Foro Italico, bordering the perimeter of the Stadio del Marmi, one of the best athletics tracks in the world and serving as a warm-up area at this Continental. A complex inspired by the Roman Forum of the imperial period and considered a masterpiece of Italian fascist architecture created by Benito Mussolini and whose figure is still remembered today with a massive monument at the site’s main entrance.

McGrath was only surpassed by the current world runner-up, the Swede Perseus Karlström, where he maintained a good fight almost until the end. Italian Francesco Fortunato completed the podium, bronze.

McGrath’s is the second medal for the Spanish team at these Europeans after the bronze achieved on Friday of Martha Garcia at 5,000 meters.

The Barcelonan Paul McGrath and the native Huelva Laura Garcia Caro They led the Spanish team of six walkers for the Europeans in Rome, including Diego García Carrera, Alberto Amezcua, Raquel González and Cristina Montesinos. This Saturday’s silver came to prove a great season for the walker from Gavà, where he won for the first time absolute champion of Spain and sub23 in Zaragoza with a time of 1h17:55 which places him as the third best Spaniard of all time. Later, in Antalya (Türkiye), in World Team Championship where he qualified in second position, he led the team to achieve the national title. Today is his debut in a full European Championship.