Sunday, September 21, 2025, 22:42
María Pérez was the image of happiness upon arrival in Spain. The Spanish marching has achieved in the World Cups in Tokyo what seemed impossible, repeat that double of the 20 and 35 kilometers that he signed in the World Budapest 2023 to become a tetracampeone of the world and the absolute queen of the march. “It gives me a little vertigo if I think what I have done,” were his first words after returning on the afternoon of this Sunday to Spain.
Granada confessed that “I have been full for a few years and this year I had a very important challenge such as doing 20 and 35, because it was the last time they were going to be done since in November the new distances begin, so I was eager and the truth is that it has gone better than I expected.”
María Pérez, with her two medals in Tokyo and the two she achieved in Budapest two years ago, has become the only Atlela capable of repeating a double in two consecutive World Cups. A milestone that had only achieved three male athletes that are legends of sport: Carl Lewis, Mo Farah and Usain Bolt. A situation that Maria puts “of the nerves, because in the end they are names that are referents of sport in general and be there with them …”. In a vindictive toucher, Maria confessed that in the plane she had said “that there must always be a man and a woman and I have been lucky enough to be the first.”
The two gold medals achieved in the 20 and 35 kilometers March “know Gloria” because it ended up “quite touched.” “The humidity was noticed and the truth is that the two medals know me to glory, because you never expect to repeat.” Pérez said.
And after Tokyo’s success, Maria already thinks about the next challenges. “The main objective is the Los Angeles Games (2028), but next year we have Europeans in Birmingham in the new distance the Marathon and I hope to be,” concluded the Spanish athlete without losing the smile and before being maintained by her family and friends and serving several fans who wanted to take pictures with her.
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