Miguel Ángel López crosses the finish line with the Spanish flag. /
The Murcian hangs the gold, signs 2:26:47 and leads his rivals by almost three minutes after escaping alone from the start
Miguel Ángel López has given the Spanish delegation the third medal at the European Championships in Munich after winning the gold in the 35-kilometre walk. The Murcian athlete, with a record of 2: 26.27, has made an exhibition through the streets of the German town, where he has taken almost three minutes to the German Linke, silver. Almost four came the Italian Giupponi, bronze, who left Manuel Bermúdez, fourth, without a medal. Marc Tur, also in the leading group, was disqualified.
At 34 years old, López hangs his second European gold after the one achieved in the 20 march in Zurich 2014. A year later and in the same category, he won the World Cup in Beijing. This year he tried for the first time in the 35 at the world championship in Eugene, where he finished tenth after breaking the Spanish record. Barely a month later, the Spaniard extends his spectacular record with gold in Munich.
The one from Llano de Brujas signed a great breakaway at kilometer 5 of the test, which started at 8:30 in the morning. Before the 20th he was already one minute ahead of his immediate pursuer, the Swedish Karlstrom, who collapsed in the final stretch of the race suffering from his knee and nauseated. López imposed a devastating and aggressive rhythm, unable to be reached by his rivals.
