European athletics
The Extremaduran repeats as champion four years later
Álvaro Martín has revalidated his European title in the 20-kilometre walk after winning the race held this morning in Munich. For his part, Diego García has been in third position and has taken the bronze.
The athlete from Extremadura has won gold again in the European Championships in Athletics, and has also done so with a new personal best (1:19.11). Diego García has suffered a flatus attack and has achieved third position. Karlstrom has surpassed him, although García has resisted the continuous attack of Alberto Amezcua, the third of the Spaniards who have been among the first four classified.
Another huge success for the march, which already has gold and silver, for Miguel Ángel López and Raquel González in the 35 kilometres. In that test, López has led the race almost from the start. It has not been like that in the 20 kilometers. Until then nobody manages to break the group. The Turkish Salih Korkmaz tries it. Karlstrom, again among the best although he left due to retching and muscle cramps.
The legs are weighing down the road. Iván López yields, the fourth Spaniard, who finally finishes eleventh. So do the Germans, rivals to keep in mind. Meanwhile, Martín, García and Amezcua are always in the background, but without losing sight of their heads. Apparently calm, confident in their possibilities.
Karlstrom tries to change the course of the race at kilometer 13, where for the first time he drops below four minutes. A strong attack that only Martín and García managed to resist. The medals begin to be decided at that time.
Shortly after the counterattack arrives. Martín who puts one more gear and García follows, but not Karlstrom. The brace from four years ago becomes a possibility, but Garcia pays for having kept up with his teammate’s strong pace. He puts his hand to his abdomen and is outmatched by Karlstrom. From there, the pupil of José Antonio Quintana, the same coach of Raquel González, has to resist. In the end, he managed to cross the finish line 14 seconds ahead of Amezcua, who did not get the coveted medal.
Martín continues at a good pace, but the warnings arrive. The man from Extremadura adds two with two kilometers to go. So the Spaniard focuses on technique and keeps Karlstrom at bay, who has enough not to collapse and lose the Viking hat with the colors of his country that they have placed on him. 28-year-old Martín picks up the Spanish flag before crossing the finish line. He is European gold for the second time, an achievement only available to the best.
