Granada’s Olympic champion María Pérez, veteran world titlist Miguel Ángel López, and Barcelona’s European medalist Paul McGrath will spearhead Spain’s 13-athlete racewalking preselection for the upcoming European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, scheduled for August.
Spain Names 13-Athlete Racewalking Preselection for Birmingham Europeans
The Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA) announced its initial roster of seven men and six women following criteria established by European Athletics and the federation’s high-performance directorate. The selections focus heavily on proven championship pedigree as the team prepares for competition at Alexander Stadium between August 10 and 16, 2026, according to reports from Spanish sports media.
Spain’s racewalkers head into the summer showcase looking to build upon recent international cycles. The squad bridges generations by pairing decorated veterans with emerging talent across new championship distances.
María Pérez Leads Women’s Squad in Half Marathon Debut
María Pérez anchors the women’s preselection as the group’s headline star, carrying the momentum of her gold medal in the mixed relay at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games alongside four global titles. Pérez will contest the newly introduced half marathon event, a distance that replaces the traditional 35-kilometer race on the continental program.
The Granada native tested her current form last weekend at the GP Cantones in A Coruña, finishing third with a time of 1h32:51 in her seasonal debut. That performance marked her return to continental competition eight years after she captured the 20-kilometer gold medal at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin, following an injury-interrupted previous cycle and a disqualification at the 2022 edition.
Joining Pérez in the half marathon preselection are Antía Chamosa, who placed seventh as a world finalist in Tokyo 2025 with a personal best of 1h33:45, and 19-year-old rising talent Aldara Meilán, who took third at the World Race Walking Team Championships in Brasília with a mark of 1h34:44.
Marathon Women Target New Continental Distance
In the women’s marathon racewalk, veteran competitor Raquel González leads a three-athlete contingent. González, 36, brings extensive international experience with 23 international appearances and a silver medal from the 2022 European Championships in Munich.
González will be joined by Laura Monje, the Spanish champion from Cieza who holds the national all-time best mark of 3h19:11, and Lucía Redondo, who finished third at Poděbrady earlier this spring.
Paul McGrath and Diego García Headline Men’s Short Route Squad
On the men’s side, Paul McGrath leads the entries for the half marathon distance. McGrath earned a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships and a silver medal at the 2024 European Championships in Rome over 20 kilometers, before posting a time of 1h25:20 in his half marathon debut in A Coruña.
McGrath teams up with Madrid’s Diego García, a continental silver medalist in 2012 and bronze medalist in 2022 who secured the national title in Cieza with a time of 1h26:07. Álvaro López, who claimed the Spanish 20km silver medal in 1h26:21, rounds out the preselection for the short route.
Miguel Ángel López Spearheads Men’s Marathon Group
At 37 years old, Murcia’s Miguel Ángel López provides veteran stability for the men’s marathon squad. López is a central figure in Spanish racewalking history, having claimed the world 20km title in Beijing in 2015 alongside a European gold in the 20km in 2014 and the 35km in 2022.
López is joined in the marathon selection by compatriot Manuel Bermúdez, who placed fourth in the 35km event at Munich 2022; Dani Chamosa, who finished sixth at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships; and José Manuel Pérez, who prepares for his debut at a senior major international championship.
Next Checkpoint in the Continental Calendar
Competition in Birmingham gets underway on August 10, 2026, at Alexander Stadium. Share your thoughts on Spain’s roster in the comments below.
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