Spain will march into Paris 2024 with the most powerful team in the world

The RFEA announced this Friday one of the most anticipated lists of the year. Spain will travel to Paris 2024 with the most powerful group of walkers in the world and will be the clear favorite to fight for the medals. Alvaro Martin and Maria Perezthe two-time world champion in the 20 and 35 kilometer walk at Budapest 2023 will be the leaders of a team that will also include the silver medalist at the European Championships in Rome, Paul McGrath and with Diego García Carrera. The women’s team will be Cristina Montesinosfifth in the world last year and Laura Garcia-Caro, who are a few centimeters away from winning bronze in the Italian capital. Four more will be added to the fixed walkers in the individual tests, which will be reserved for the mixed walking test (if selected): Antía Chamosa, Rachel Gonzalez, Alberto Amezcua and Miguel Angel Lopez.

The Olympic march will be put on nine medals are at stake in the male and female categories of 20km (Thursday, August 1) and mixed relay (Friday, August 7) ​​​​and in all of them there will be clear choices to get to the podium.

In pairs modality, which is played with four posts in a route of 42,195km, there were only two test races, one in Valencia in March and another in Antalya in April and both left many doubts on the level of organization and management of techniques during the tests. In total, there will be 44 couples and Spain qualified two. The arrangement of each pair will be decided after completing the 20km individual walk, depending on the results and wear of the walkers. Spain will travel to Paris with a team of 10 walkers who have qualified for those four places (Pair A and Pair B).

There are very strong countries with great traditions in the area that can show very competitive teams like Italy Massimo Stano, Francesco Fortunato, Antonella Palmisano, Eleonora Giorgi or Japan with two references such as Toshikazu Yamanishi, Koki Ikeda, Nanako Fuji and Ayane Yanai.

Cristina Montesinos and Paul McGrath They earned their Olympic places after winning the Zaragoza Spanish Championship (February) clear in the 20 kilometer test. The Catalan took advantage of the two-time world champion’s absence due to injury Maria Perez to impose his law in the 20km and show that his fifth place in the 35km at the World Championships in Budapest was no fluke. The Catalan, who was looking for victory and the Olympic minimum (1h29’20), achieved his goal with a breakthrough by winning with a time of 1h28’43 and earning a place for the Games. Behind the Catalan came Laura Garcia-Caro (1h29’03) and Rachel Gonzalez (1h29’07), both also below the required Olympic minimum.

Within Roma Europeanthe native of Huelva arrived in top form and had the bronze medal in his hands until he lost it in the middle of the finish line while celebrating the victory and had to settle for fourth place, a scene that went around the world. Montesino, who fractured two ribs due to stress during his preparations, finished sixth in Europe, in another display of resilience. Furthermore, Montesinos was one of the athletes who was awarded the 40th Gala of the Campions Valors Trophy 2023 of World of sports for his fifth place in the world at Budapest 2023.

For its part, the Catalan Paul McGrath He does have the opposition of a double World champion Alvaro Martin in Nacional and managed to defeat him in the Aragonese capital. McGrath, still in the under-23 category, stopped the clock in an amazing 1h17’56, an Olympic minimum (1h20’10) and a direct ticket for the Games. The Extremaduran crossed the finish line second in 1h18’34 and third Diego García Carrera with 1h19’35, both below the Olympic minimum. McGrath was the best Spanish walker in Rome with his stellar silver at 20 kilometers behind Perseus Karstrom.

The other representatives of Spanish athletics at Paris 2024 will be announced on July 3, with the complete list when the Spanish Championships in La Nucía will be held from June 28 to 30.

Spanish marching team Paris 2024

Álvaro Martín (29 years old) 20km

Paul McGrath (22 years old) 20km

Diego García Race (28 years old) 20km

María Pérez (28 years old) 20km

Cristina Montesinos (29 years old) 20km

Laura García-Caro (29 years old) 20km

Alberto Amezcua (32 years old) mixed relay (reserve)

Raquel González (34 years old) mixed relay (reserve)

Miguel Ángel López (35 years old) mixed relay (reserve)

Antía Chamosa (24 years old) mixed relay (reserve)

Calendar

Thursday, August 1, 20km walk (individual)

Friday, August 7 mixed relay (couples)