García Secures Silver in Birmingham
At the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, Spanish athlete Marta García secured the silver medal in the women’s 5,000 meters at the European Athletics Championships, crossing the finish line in 15 minutes and 39.98 seconds. Overcoming a recent lumbar injury that had disrupted her training schedule, the 28-year-old athlete delivered Spain’s first medal of the continental competition, finishing directly behind Italy’s Nadia Battocletti.
A Tactical Peloton on a Warm English Evening
Early miles were led by Kosovo’s Gresa Bakraçi at a controlled 3:20 per kilometer tempo, before the pace stretched out through moves from Dutch runner Maureen Koster. García spent the opening kilometers tucked safely at the back of a large peloton, analyzing her competitors and conserving energy for the closing laps.
A 29-Second Closing Kick Secures Second Place
With several laps remaining, Battocletti made her initial surge to fracture the leading group. García maintained her composure, tracking a small chase pack of four or five runners. As the bell rang for the final lap, the Spanish record holder sat in seventh position before unleashing a powerful kick over the final 200 meters, clocked at 29 seconds, to secure second place.
Drawing Inspiration From Jakob Ingebrigtsen
“I was inspired by how Jakob Ingebrigtsen moved the previous day,” García said after the race, noting her tactical preparation alongside German coach Thomas Dreissigacker. “I also imagined the race would play out this way. I thought about it a lot with my coach, and in my head, I already had planned where I needed to be at every moment.”
Battocletti Claims Gold as Majori Takes Bronze
Battocletti claimed the gold medal with a time of 15:37.84, executing a fast final kilometer of 2:40 to defend her continental standing. The Italian champion added the performance to her previous international titles. Another Italian competitor, Micol Majori, took the bronze medal with a time of 15:40.65.
Balancing Altitude Training and Medical Studies
García’s silver medal marks her second major continental podium finish, following her bronze medal in the 5,000 meters at the European Championships in Rome two years prior. Her preparation for the Birmingham meet involved altitude training blocks in Saint Moritz alongside groups managed by On, followed by training sessions in Buitrago de Lozoya.
Outside of athletics, García completed her degree in Medicine at the University of Valladolid. She subsequently chose to pause her medical residency examinations—known in Spain as the MIR—to focus entirely on her professional running career. She currently holds national records in Spain for the 2,000-meter, 3,000-meter, and 5,000-meter distances.
Spain’s broader campaign in Birmingham also featured strong performances from fellow compatriots in the same event. María Forero finished in eighth place with a time of 15:44.25, while Idaira Prieto, coached by her father Antonio Prieto, placed ninth in 15:44.89. The Spanish delegation entered the championships with a large roster of athletes, targeting an improvement on their medal haul from the 2022 European Championships in Munich.
