“It is difficult to recover sensations behind the indoor track but we are improving little by little.” No sooner said than done. Quique Llopis, who was proclaimed indoor world runner-up in Marchcontinues to polish details, every step, at every fence, in the countdown towards the great challenge of the year, the European Championship in Birmingham that takes place at the beginning of August.
On the green tartan of the Vallehermoso stadium, the one that once also enjoyed great international figures such as Moses, Carl Lewis and Isinbayeva, the public at the Madrid rally, continental silver category of World Athletics, vibrated with a high-altitude duel on the fences… that only the wind hindered.
Equality was maximum and this was reflected in the electronic. Llopis, who did not have the best start, was climbing back to improve positions, in conflict with the Japanese Abe. Both crossed the finish line in 13.33, but the thousandths decided victory for the Spaniard despite the headwind (-2.0). “It has not been the perfect day, the headwind has a lot of influence but I am left with the victory. I am happy with the progression with a view to the European Championship,” Llopis assured Radio MARCA. Asier Martínez, who continues to gain confidence after each race, was third with 13.35. “I’m happy, I’m ready to fight. In this race the first hurdles failed me, but I have a good finish.”
It hasn’t been the perfect day, the headwind has a lot of influence but I’m left with the victory. I am happy with the progression with a view to the European
Sevilla and Hervás shine in the 400 with a personal best
Blanca Hervás and Paula Sevilla are still sweet… like the national women’s 400. In a magnificent race, the Spanish women improved their respective personal bests, taking advantage of the speed of the Italian Polinari to take the win (50.36), and placed second and third in the usual Spanish ranking. Blanca, with the encouragement of her audience, finished fifth, with 50.46, in a huge ‘bite’ to your personal record. For her part, Paula Sevilla was sixth, with 50.68.
Chipas jumped in the men’s 800 meters, where David Barroso, in a prodigious comeback in the straight, won with 1:44.36. Adrián Ben came in second at the finish line (1:44.69), who had kept the fight for the first places until the end but could not withstand the momentum of the university world champion.
Diame, one centimeter away from winning in length
Very consistent in the pit, Fátima Diame was just one centimeter away from the victory in length, which went to the Australian Buschkuehl, who jumped 6.79 on her second attempt. Iván Pedroso’s pupil achieved her best time on the fourth attempt, with 6.78, with only two nulls. For her part, Tessy Ebosele, who is enjoying the track again on her return after a serious Achilles injury, completed the podium: she was third with 6.72.
After many months of physical problems, an ordeal that seemed to have no end, Sara Gallego is back. The 400 meter hurdles record holder demonstrated it this Thursday in a magnificent and exciting race in which she finished third, behind the British Newnham (53.92) and the French Maraval (54.05), with a record of 54.36, just two hundredths away from equaling his own Spanish record (54.34). “I had dreamed about this so many times…” Sara assured Radio MARCA after the race in which she placed eighth in the European ranking of the year. “I remembered how bad it was and now I see that it was worth it. I’m very happy. Now, let’s think about the National Championship and then the European Championship.”
Sara Gallego, in Madrid
Javier Lorente also shone in the men’s 400 hurdles, who set his personal best, with 49.19, a record for Catalonia and the fifth best Spanish mark ever (RFEA minimum for Birmingham), in a race that the Dominican Núñez dominated (47.77). Minutes later, Ángel González from Madrid won the B final of the 400 meters, with 45.53, the best record of his career and minimum RFEA for the continental event. In the final A of the distance, the victory went to Eppie, from Botswana (44.53), while Óscar Husillos finished seventh (46.05).
For the Frenchwoman Clara Liberman it was the victory in the 800 meters (2:00.16), in which Rocío Arroyo was second (2:00.45), and Marta Mitjans completed the podium (2:00.50). And on the straight, in the most explosive test, Jael Bestué ran the 100 meters in 11.15 to finish second after the New Zealander Hobbs (11.06).
There was a Kenyan double in the 1,500. In the men’s event, Danson Kiplangat dazzled, surpassing his rivals in the final meters to win with 3:35.44, a personal best. Mario García Romo was tenth with 3:39.43. In the women’s distance, the victory went to Mirriam Cherop (4:04.56).
In the women’s hammer, the European champion, Sara Fantini, beat the world record holder and Olympic champion, Anita Wlodarczyk, with a best throw of 75.62. The Pole could only be second, with 75.01, while the Spanish Laura Redondo finished fifth, with 70.89.
The New Zealander Tom Walsh took the victory in the men’s weight, with 21.71, with Muller seventh, while in the women’s event the Swedish Roos won (19.48) and Belén Toimil was seventh (17.54). In the men’s triple the victory went to the Italian Andrea Dallavalle, world runner-up in Tokyo, with a best jump of 17.59.
