Author Archives: admin

With an impressive roster featuring 9 international medalists and 12 national record holders, the Spanish squad is determined to step onto the European podium for the very first time in this prestigious team competition.

A total of 45 pre-selected athletes (23 men, 22 women), chosen by coach José Peiró and the Spanish Athletics Federation Sports Directors based on rigorous criteria, are primed for action. The European Team Championships mark a significant occasion for Spain, as it’s the first time Madrid will host the event under its current name and format. Spain previously hosted the European Super League in 1996, and this year, the excitement is palpable as the team aims for its best-ever performance. Spain, competing in the First Division, will go head-to-head with 15 other top nations: Germany, France, Finland, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Sweden, and Ukraine.

---

Star Power Leading the Charge

The Spanish powerhouse is led by a host of exceptional talents:

• Fátima Diame (Long Jump): A double indoor medalist in the long jump with back-to-back bronzes in Glasgow 2024 and Nanjing 2025. With a personal best of 6.84m, she’s already soared to 6.82m this year after technical adjustments.
• Adrián Ben (Middle Distance): The indoor European Champion in 800m from 2023, Adrián leads the Spanish charge in the 1500m with a personal best of 3:32.07, showcasing remarkable evolution this season.
• Mohamed Attaoui (Middle Distance): A force to be reckoned with in the 800m, Mohamed is a European silver medalist, an Olympic finalist (fifth place in Paris), and the national record holder with an incredible 1:42.04 (the ninth fastest all-time mark). He also boasts strong recent results in the 800m (1:42.73 in Paris Diamond League) and 1500m (3:32.63 in Stockholm).
• Enrique Llopis (110m Hurdles): The European silver medalist from Rome 2024 and fourth-place finisher at the Paris Olympics, Enrique is consistently challenging Orlando Ortega’s national record of 13.04. He recently clocked a superb 13.09 at the La Nucía Spanish Championships and matched his 60m hurdles national record of 7.48 this short track season.
• Marta García (5000m): A European medalist herself, Marta shattered the national record with a stunning 14:44.04 to claim third place at the European Championships in Rome 2024.
• Thierry Ndikumwenayo (5000m): “The Tiger” is back! A national record holder in 5K road and 10,000m, a European bronze medalist in Rome, and ninth in the fastest Olympic final ever (both in 10,000m), Thierry will defend Spain in the 5000m with an impressive mark of 12:47.67 achieved this month in Oslo.
• Paula Sevilla (400m): This winter and World Athletics Relays sensation, Paula earned a bronze in her first indoor European championships, matching Sandra Myers’ national record of 50.99. This summer, she continued her remarkable progression with a 50.92 in Oslo.
• Lester Lescay (Long Jump): A bronze medalist in his international debut at the Apeldoorn Indoor European Athletics, Lester brings a personal best of 8.35m and aims to secure maximum points for the team.

---

Key Contributors Across Disciplines

The Spanish team is packed with talent across all events:

• Field Events: Look out for Belén Toimil, a two-time Olympian and national shot put record holder (18.80m), and Laura Redondo, a prominent figure in hammer throw with a national record of 72.00m.
• Sprints: Maribel Pérez, national record holder in 60m (7.16m), will compete in the 100m and be a vital leg of the powerful 4x100m relay. Adrià Alfonso, the current national record holder in 200m short track (20.65), will double in the 200m and 4x100m.
• Relays: The relays are set to shine! The women’s 4x100m relay, fresh off their silver medal at the World Athletics Relays and a national record of 42.18 (the ninth fastest all-time mark), will look for a stellar performance at home. The 4x400m mixed relay also broke the national record (3:12.55), securing their spot for the Tokyo World Championships in Guangzhou.

---

Returning Favorites and Emerging Stars

Expect strong performances from familiar faces and exciting new talents:

• Daniel Arce (3000m Steeplechase): Fifth at the Rome 2024 European Championships, Daniel ended last season as the European leader with the third-best Spanish performance all-time (8:08.45). He’s already clocked 8:10.58 this year.
• Águeda Marqués (1500m): Our strong contender in the 1500m (4:00.31), Águeda reached the Olympic final in Paris and set a new personal best this season in early June in Rome (4:00.57).
• Lorea Ibarzabal (800m): Competing on her favorite track, Vallehermoso, Lorea (1:59.80) aims to break the 2-minute barrier again.
• Jaël Sakura Bestué (200m): After her second Olympic Games last season, Jaël will race the 200m with a windy 22.69 this season and a personal best of 22.54 from 2023.

The team also features promising young athletes like sprinter Abel Jordán, the U23 national record holder in 60m and 60m hurdles, and Marta Serrano, a young steeplechaser who lowered her own U23 national record to 9:24.26, making her the fourth-best Spanish athlete all-time. In high jump, Ona Bonet matched Ruth Beitia’s U20 national record of 1.89m and was senior national champion this winter. This versatile, ambitious, and competitive team is ready to give their all in front of their home crowd. For four days, Madrid will be the heart of European athletics, and the Spanish team is poised to shine and achieve their big European dream: stepping onto the podium for the very first time!

---

Complete Pre-Selected Squad

 100 m: Guillem Crespí y Maribel Pérez

200 m: Adrià Alfonso y Jaël Sakura Bestué

400 m: Manuel Bea y Paula Sevilla

800 m: Mohamed Attaoui y Lorea Ibarzábal

1500 m: Adrián Ben y Águeda Marqués

5000 m: Thierry Ndikumwenayo y Marta García

110 m hurdles: Enrique Llopis y Xènia Benach

400 m hurdles: Jesús David Delgado y Daniela Fra

3000 m steeplechase: Daniel Arce y Marta Serrano

High Jump: David González y Ona Bonet

Pole Vault: Juan Luis Bravo y Mónica Clemente

Long Jump: Lester Lescay y Fátima Diame

Triple Jump: Marcos Ruiz y María González Sanchís

Shot Put: José Ángel Pinedo y Belén Toimil

Discus Throw: Diego Casas e Inés López

Hammer Throw: Kevin Arreaga y Laura Redondo

Javelin Throw: Manu Quijera y Paula Rodríguez

4 x 100 m men: Adrià Alfonso, Juan Carlos Castillo, Guillem Crespí, Jorge Hernández, Abel Alejandro Jordan y Jaime Sancho.

4 x 100 m women: Jaël Sakura Bestué, Lucía Carrillo, Esperança Cladera, Elena Guiu, Maribel Pérez y Paula Sevilla.

4 x 400 m mixed: Carmen Avilés, Julio Arenas, Manuel Bea, Manuel Guijarro, Blanca Hervás y Paula Sevilla.

The ‘Squadra Azzurra’ arrives at the European Team Championships with a solid roster, aiming to reclaim the title they triumphantly won in 2023.

Without a doubt, the Italian team will be one of the most powerful forces at the European Team Championships, set to ignite Madrid’s Vallehermoso Stadium from June 27th to 29th. To put it simply, their roster is stacked with talent, with the notable exception of Marcell Jacobs, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic 100m champion, who is a last-minute withdrawal and will not compete in either the 100m or the 4x100m relay.

Focusing on the stars who will be there, we must highlight three medalists from the recent Paris Olympic Games. The team is led by Nadia Battocletti, who secured a silver medal in the 10,000 meters last summer and will now compete in the 5,000 meters in Madrid. Alongside her, are jumpers Mattia Furlani (long jump) and Andy Diaz (triple jump), both bronze medalists in Paris and undoubtedly the ones to beat in their respective disciplines. Italy also boasts an impressive six individual European Champions from the Rome European Championships held last summer. In addition to Battocletti and Diaz, the green tartan of Vallehermoso will welcome: Yeman Crippa (5,000 meters), Leonardo Fabbri (shot put specialist), Lorenzo Simonelli (110m hurdles), Sara Fantini (hammer throw).

As if that weren’t enough, the ‘Azzurra’ team further strengthens its ranks with long jumper Larissa Iapichino and sprinter Zaynab Dosso, both crowned Indoor European Champions this year. The Italian team is rounded out by a mix of experienced athletes, including national record holder Alessandro Sibilio, and exciting debutants like pole vaulter Matteo Oliveri (born November 2002) and triple jumper Erika Saraceni (born May 2006), the latter being among the youngest members of the team at just 19 years old. Italy is poised to lead the charge, not only due to the exceptional team they are bringing to Madrid, but also as the reigning European Team Champions. They achieved this historic first victory in Chorzów in 2023, and they’ll be eager to defend their title with brilliance.

Olympic, world, and European medalists form a powerhouse team that dominated in 2019 and 2021, and secured second place in 2023.

The Polish Athletics Federation has unveiled its formidable squad of 46 athletes set to compete in the First Division of the European Team Championships. The event takes place at Madrid’s Vallehermoso Stadium from June 27th to 29th. Poland, two-time continental champions, is holding nothing back for this crucial competition, where they’ve consistently showcased their dominance over the past decade. Featuring a roster of Olympic, World, and European medalists, this team has its sights set firmly on a historic third title.

Poland has a remarkable record in the European Team Championships, consistently finishing on the podium in recent editions. After a second-place finish in Lille in 2017, they clinched back-to-back titles as hosts in 2019 (Bydgoszcz) and 2021 (Silesia). In 2023, also in Silesia, they nearly achieved a treble, finishing a close second to Italy. Now, in Madrid 2025, they’re once again strong favorites for the gold. It’s challenging to pinpoint a single leader within this star-studded national team, as talent abounds across almost all disciplines.

In speed events, Natalia Bukowiecka leads the charge. She’s an Olympic bronze medalist and World silver medalist in the 400 meters, also boasting an Olympic gold in the mixed relay and a silver with the women’s relay from Tokyo 2020. Ewa Swoboda, a European silver medalist in the 100 meters, will also be a key contributor. The hurdles feature formidable talents like Jakub Szymanski, a World Indoor champion, and Pia Skrzyszowska, the reigning European outdoor bronze medalist and 2022 European champion.On the middle distance front, 800-meter specialist Anna Wielgosz arrives in Madrid as a stellar Indoor European Champion. Keep an eye on Under-23 athlete Filip Rak, who is quickly establishing himself as one of the most promising 1500-meter specialists, evidenced by his impressive 3:32.53 mark at the Rome Diamond League.

Jumps and Throws: A Wealth of Experience

The legendary Piotr Lisek, a three-time World medalist in pole vault, will aim to secure maximum points for Poland in what will be one of his final appearances for the national team, competing with the stunning backdrop of Madrid’s Royal Palace. In high jump, Maria Zodzik will be looking for her first major result with the Polish team, building on her two consecutive podium finishes at recent Diamond League events. Poland’s throwing events are particularly strong. The indomitable Anita Włodarczyk, a 39-year-old world record holder, three-time Olympic champion, and four-time World champion in hammer throw, is sure to rack up significant points. Her male counterpart, Pawel Fajdek, a five-time World champion, will also be a major asset. In javelin throw, Maria Andrejczyk, an Olympic silver medalist from Tokyo 2020, rounds out this powerful throwing contingent.

POLAND NATIONAL TEAM FULL LIST

• 100 m: Ewa Swoboda, Oliwer Wdowik
• 200 m: Magdalena Niemczyk, Igor Bogaczynski
• 400 m: Natalia Bukowiecka, Maksymilian Szwed
• 800 m: Anna Wielgosz, Bartosz Kitlinski
• 1500 m: Klaudia Kazimierska, Filip Rak
• 5000 m: Weronika Lizakowska, Kamil Herzyk
• 100/110 m Hurdle: Pia Skrzyszowska, Jakub Szymanski
• 400 m Hurdles: Anna Maria Gryc, Pawel Miezainko
• 3000 m Steeplechase: Kinga Królik, Maciej Megier
• High Jump: Maria Zodzik, Mateusz Kolodziejski
• Pole Vault: Zofia Gaborska, Piotr Lisek
• Long Jump: Anna Matuszewicz, Piotr Tarkowski
• Triple Jump: Adrianna Laskowska, Wojciech Galik
• Shot Put: Klaudia Kardasz, Konrad Bukowiecki
• Discus Throw: Daria Zabawska, Oskar Stachnik
• Hammer Throw: Anita Wlodarczyk, Pawel Fajdek
• Javelin Throw: Maria Andrejczyk, Marcin Krukowski
• 4×100 m Male: Adrian Brzezinski, Dominik Kopec, Patryk Krupa, Lukasz Zak, Oliwer Wdowik, Igor Bogaczynski
• 4×100 m Female: Magdalena Stefanowicz, Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, Wiktora Gajosz, Jagoda Zukowska, Ewa Swoboda, Magdalena Niemczyk
• 4×400 m Mixed: Natalia Bukowiecka, Karolina Lozowska, Justyna Swiety-Ersetic, Maksymilian Szwed, Kajetan Duszynski, Daniel Soltysiak

The biggest European athletics event of 2025 is just around the corner, from June 27th to 29th at Vallehermoso Stadium. Tickets are still available via this link:

---

The team boasts many stars of continental athletics, prominently featuring two Olympic champions: long jumper Malaika Mihambo (gold in Tokyo 2020 and silver in Paris 2024) and shot putter Yemisi Ogunleye (gold in Paris 2024).

The German Athletics Federation (DLV) has announced its strong 45-athlete squad for the First Division of the European Team Championships, set to take place in Madrid from June 27th to 29th. Led by Mihambo and Ogunleye, Germany is determined to win its sixth European Team Championships title in Madrid, eight years after their last victory. In the ten editions held since the new format’s inception—where men’s and women’s points contribute to a single ranking—the German team secured victories in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2017. They finished second in 2015 and 2019, and third in 2010 and at the last edition, Silesia 2023. Their only finish outside the top three was in 2021 (fourth).

Beyond the two Olympic champions, Germany’s powerful contingent includes Julian Weber, the current European silver medalist in javelin throw, who is also the 2025 world leader with a throw of 91.06m and contributed 16 points to his team in Silesia. Madrid will also see two of Germany’s Olympic bronze medalists from the 4x100m relay: Lisa Mayer and Sophia Junk, who will compete in the 100m and 200m, respectively, in addition to the relay. Hammer thrower Merlin Hummel, who has thrown 81.23m this year (third in the world rankings), is another key figure for the German team.

Germany will also bring to Madrid some athletes who have significantly improved their performances in recent months, establishing themselves among the European elite. These include Under-23 800-meter runner Alexander Stepanov (who recently ran 1:44.17), European 3000m steeplechaser Karl Bebendorf (fresh off a win at Stockholm’s Diamond League with a personal best of 8:11.81), and triple jumper Caroline Joyeux (Europe’s season leader with 14.45m). Vallehermoso will also feature the 2025 steeplechase sensation, Frederik Ruppert (who achieved the third-best mark in history with 8:10.49 in Rabat), though he will make his 5000m debut at this event, holding the German record in the 5km road race with 13:21. In addition to Stepanov, Germany will field other promising young talents who will compete for gold in the European U23 and U20 Championships throughout 2025. Among the older U23 prospects are triple jumper Steven Freund and steeplechaser Adia Budde, while Germany’s 400m lead is ‘junior’ Johanna Martin.

Germany National Team Squad

100m: Lucas Ansah-Prepah, Lisa Mayer 

200m: Joshua Hartmann, Sophia Junk 

400m: Jean Paul Bredau, Johanna Martin

 800m: Alexander Stepanov, Smilla Kolbe 

1500m: Marc Tortell, Majtie Kolberg 

5000m: Frederik Ruppert, Elena Burkard 

110m/100m Hurdles: Gregory Minoué, Ricarda Lobe 

400m Hurdles: Joshua Abuaku, Elena Kelety 

3000m Steeplechase: Karl Bebendorf, Adia Budde 

High Jump: Tobias Potye, Imke Onnen 

Pole Vault: Torben Blech, Friedelinde Petershofen 

Long Jump: Simon Batz, Malaika Mihambo 

Triple Jump: Steven Freund, Caroline Joyeux 

Shot Put: Silas Ristl, Yemisi Ogunleye

 Discus Throw: Mika Sosna, Shanice Craft 

Hammer Throw: Merlin Hummel, Aileen Kuhn 

Javelin Throw: Julian Weber, Julia Ulbricht

4x100m Men: Lucas Ansah-Prepah, Aleksandar Askovic, Kevin Kranz, Marvin Schulte, Yannick Wolf 

4x100m Women: Jolina Ernst, Sophia Junk, Lisa-Marie Kwayie, Lisa Mayer, Sina Mayer 

4x400m Mixed: Jean Paul Bredau, Tyrel Prenz, Manuel Sanders, Irina Gorr, Jana Lakner, Johanna Martin

Don’t miss the biggest event in European Athletics in 2025, from June 27th to 29th at Vallehermoso Stadium in Madrid! Tickets are still available here.

Great Britain and Northern Ireland arrive at the European Team Championships with a blend of seasoned athletes and promising newcomers, poised to make a significant impact.

The Great Britain National Team for the European Team Championships, set to be held from June 27th to 29th in Vallehermoso, Madrid, has been announced. While some prominent stars are absent, the squad features a strong mix of established names and exciting “outsiders” who could surprise. Ten athletes will make their senior national team debut, and their performances will be crucial in the team’s quest to climb into the top three – an improvement on their fifth-place finish at the last championships, just behind Spain.

Undoubtedly, the British team’s main stars include:

• Jazmin Sawyers, the long jumper with an impressive resume including a European outdoor medal, an indoor European Championship title, and two Olympic finals appearances.
• Lina Nielsen, a 400-meter hurdler who earned an Olympic medal in the 4x400m relay at Paris 2024 and previously won individually at the European Team Championships in 2021.
• Revee Walcott-Nolan, a middle-distance runner and medalist at the 2025 Indoor European Championship, whose personal best of 3:58.08 makes her one to watch in the 1500 meters.

Among the senior debutants, special attention should be paid to two 800-meter runners:

• Abigail Ives, who has already broken the two-minute barrier this year with a time of 1:59.49 and was a silver medalist at the Under 20 European Championships in 2023.
• Tiarnan Crorken, who also dipped under the impressive 1:45 mark in the 800m (1:44.98), making his performance in Vallehermoso highly anticipated.
• Another athlete in prime form is steeplechaser Sarah Tait, who achieved a personal best of 9:27.80 last weekend, finishing fourth in the NCAA final.

Paul Dunn, Performance Director at UK Athletics, shared his perspective: “The European Team Championships offers an excellent opportunity for our athletes to gain valuable championship experience in a highly competitive environment. With 42 athletes representing the team, including both senior debutants and established international athletes, this event will be vital for their development throughout the season. Of course, I am confident they will perform as desired.”

As the European Team Championships draw near, set to take place at the end of June on the green synthetic track of Madrid’s Vallehermoso Stadium, we continue our journey back in time. In this second and final installment, we celebrate ten more legendary athletes who graced the track at Vallehermoso, both in its old and new iterations.

By Miguel Villaseñor

Saïd Aouita

On June 4, 1985, during that year’s Madrid Meeting, Saïd Aouita attempted a world record in the unusual 2000-meter distance. The Moroccan had expressed his ambition to hold all world records between 1500 and 5000 meters, a highly ambitious goal. The 2000-meter record, held by New Zealander John Walker with 4:51.52 set in 1976, was nine years old. However, that afternoon in Vallehermoso, the pacemakers didn’t perform as expected, and it quickly became clear that a record was nearly impossible. When the pacemakers dropped out, the Moroccan regained some lost time and, true to form, displayed the class and grit that, fueled by the crowd’s incessant cheers, led him to a time of 4:54.98 – not enough for his objective. Behind him ran José Luis González from Toledo, in a race that foreshadowed his fantastic summer of 1985, a year in which he broke the national records for 1500 meters and the mile. Aouita, for his part, finished that year as the 1500m and 5000m record holder. In 1987, he finally claimed the 2000m record that eluded him in Madrid. From 1989 to 1992, he simultaneously held all world records in metric distances from 1500m to 5000m, although he never achieved the mile record.

Sebastian Coe

The current president of World Athletics, Britain’s Sebastian Coe, was, as we all know, a magnificent athlete and one of the most charismatic and admired middle-distance runners in history, a double Olympic champion in the 1500 meters in 1980 and 1984. I recall that in 1981, he was in Madrid to receive an award, and even then, without competing, he filled newspaper pages and television minutes. In 1986, he did compete in our capital, at Vallehermoso, in the Gran Premio Internacional Papel Galgo. Two Britons shone at that meeting. In the sprints, Linford Christie surprised everyone by running the 100 meters in 10.04, a British record and the best mark ever achieved in Spain. Christie would go on to become Olympic champion six years later in Barcelona 1992. And in the 800m, the graceful figure of Sebastian Coe emerged. With his elegant stride on the track, he delighted the crowd and won the event with a time of 1:45.66. That year, Coe would be crowned European champion in the 800 meters and runner-up in the 1500m in Stuttgart.

Edwin Moses

The 1987 Madrid Meeting at Vallehermoso witnessed an event that captivated the attention of the athletics world and filled hours of television and newspaper pages. American Edwin Moses, Olympic and world champion and world record holder, lost his 9-year, 9-month, and 9-day unbeaten streak in the 400-meter hurdles. Moses had last lost on August 25, 1977, to the German Harald Schmid, his great rival for many years. After 122 victorious races and the aforementioned period, Edwin Moses once again tasted defeat. This came at the hands of another American, Danny Harris, whom he hadn’t faced since the 1984 Olympic final. In that 1987 race, Harris was always ahead, but in the final straight, Moses narrowed the gap, giving the impression he would ultimately win again. However, Edwin Moses stumbled slightly on the last hurdle, something very unusual for him, losing precious time that cost him the race. They were separated by 13 hundredths of a second at the finish line: 47.56 to 47.69. Edwin Moses took ample revenge that summer at the World Championships in Rome, where he was crowned champion again, with only a 2-hundredth advantage over Harris.

Carl Lewis

At that same 1987 Madrid meeting, the packed stands of Vallehermoso had a fabulous time watching one of the greatest athletes in world history, an athlete who was perhaps the best in those days: American Carl Lewis, a four-time Olympic champion in 1984. He won the 100m with 10.12, and an hour later, as the culmination of a glorious afternoon of athletics, the 200 meters were scheduled. This writer, on the 200m bend and leaning against that classic fence separating the Vallehermoso stands from the track, was an exceptional witness to the preparations for the event. When the starting gun fired, all the athletes left their blocks… except Carl Lewis, who simply didn’t start. The judge, seeing the situation, was quick and skillful in his decision, nullifying the start with another gunshot. The runners returned to their blocks; the smile of Calvin Smith, 100m world record holder and Carl’s rival that day, clearly indicated that nothing strange had happened, simply that Lewis hadn’t started. Finally, the definitive start was given, and Carl Lewis flew over the fast Madrid track, and aided by a favorable wind of 1.3 m/s, he stopped the clock at 19.92, just 20 hundredths off the then-world record. “The Son of Wind” left his mark, and how, on the Vallehermoso stadium. That mark was the best world mark of 1987 in the distance, and the best mark ever achieved on European soil up to that moment.

Merlene Ottey

This article couldn’t be complete without an athlete like Merlene Ottey, a true legend in the history of women’s sprinting, with an incredibly long career spanning four different decades, from the late 1970s to almost the 2010s. The Jamaican (and Slovenian in her later years as an athlete) was a regular on our tracks and we saw her many times in Spain: Barcelona, Seville, Vigo, Granada… and Madrid. At the 1990 meeting in Vallehermoso, she had to battle a 2.0 m/s headwind and still stopped the clock at 11.06. She had just run a stratospheric 10.78 in Seville with a generous but legal wind, but the god Aeolus was not on her side on the Madrid track. Merlene Ottey is also remembered in the capital for her sensational world record of 6.96 in the 60 meters on the old track of the Palacio de los Deportes, at the 1992 Cagigal Memorial. This record only lasted a year for the Jamaican, as Russia’s Irina Privalova snatched it from her at the same venue.

---

Virgilijus Alekna

In recent weeks, Mykolas Alekna has been in the news thanks to his new world record in discus throw. Now we will talk about Mykolas’s father, the great Lithuanian thrower Virgilijus Alekna. The Lithuanian giant, 2.02 meters tall (4 cm taller than his son) and with a very unusual arm span of 2.24 meters, competed three times in Vallehermoso, at the Madrid Meeting in 2005, 2006, and 2007. He won all three times, the first with a throw of 70.67m, which was the best world mark of 2005. Let’s remember that Alekna participated in five Olympic Games, from 1996 to 2012, and won gold in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, and world gold in 2003 and 2005. Therefore, in 2005 and 2006, he arrived in Madrid as the reigning Olympic and world champion. To top it off, he was European champion in 2006, so in Madrid 2007, he appeared with the triple crown in his bag, something that has happened very few times in the capital of Spain. A statistical curiosity: in his three triumphs in Vallehermoso, Alekna’s winning throw came in his fifth attempt. The Lithuanian was a regular in Madrid, as he also competed in the Madrid meetings of 2003 (at the Estadio de la Comunidad) and 2008 and 2009 (in Moratalaz). His worthy heir, Mykolas, only 22 years old, has not yet competed in Madrid or Spain. We hope to see him soon on our land.

Yelena Isinbayeva

The greatest pole vaulter in history, Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva, competed in Vallehermoso on July 16, 2005. Shortly before, in the same year, she had also been in Madrid, at the European Indoor Championships in the Palacio de los Deportes, where she was crowned champion with a world record of 4.90m. That July 16th, fans hoped she would break the world record again. It wasn’t an unreasonable wish, as she had done it 11 days earlier in Lausanne with 4.93m. In Vallehermoso, she began jumping when all her rivals had been eliminated. But the initial height of 4.65m was a challenge, as she cleared it on her third attempt. From there, she directly raised the bar to 4.95m, which she cleared on her second attempt, setting a new world record. However, the Madrid record lasted a very short time, only six days, as in London, on July 22, the Russian broke it again with 4.96m and 5.00m.

Blanka Vlašić

Croatian high jumper Blanka Vlašić attempted to break Stefka Kostadinova‘s 2.09m world record 60 times but never succeeded. Three of those attempts were in Vallehermoso on July 21, 2007, in the last major competition held at the old stadium. After clearing 1.98m, she had already won the event. But she wanted to go little by little: the bar at 2.01m, which she cleared on her first attempt; then at 2.05m, also cleared on her first attempt (which was a personal best and a Croatian record). It seemed that this was going to be the day. She took all the necessary time with 2.10m. She was very close to clearing it but failed in all three attempts. The following year, at the 2008 Madrid meeting, already on the Moratalaz track, the story repeated itself. This time 2.06m and three new unsuccessful attempts at 2.10m.

Yulimar Rojas

The close relationship between Spain and Venezuelan athlete Yulimar Rojas is well known. She is a world record holder, a seven-time world champion (four outdoors and three indoors), and an Olympic champion in the triple jump at Tokyo 2021. Yulimar resides in Spain, in Guadalajara, and trains under Iván Pedroso. Naturally, our beloved Venezuelan has competed in Spain countless times, and on two occasions, she has done so at the Vallehermoso stadium, both times with great sporting results. At the 2021 Madrid meeting, Yulimar Rojas won with a jump of 15.34m (aided by a +2.2 m/s wind), plus another legal jump of 15.19m. In the 2023 Iberdrola League final, representing FC Barcelona, the Venezuelan reached 14.96m, naturally a competition record. Additionally, Yulimar Rojas is remembered in Madrid for her indoor world record at the Gallur Sports Center during the 2020 international meeting, where she was the star; she jumped 15.43 meters, just 7cm shy of the “absolute” world record of 15.50m, a record she surpassed at the Tokyo Games and later at the 2022 Belgrade Indoor World Championships.

Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Jamaica’s Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce, then the reigning Olympic and world champion, was the star of the 2023 Madrid Meeting held in Vallehermoso. As expected, Shelley-Ann claimed victory. She had made a brilliant comeback two days earlier in Lausanne, where she won a 100m with a great time of 10.82s. The Jamaican arrived, conquered, and convinced with immense clarity and a mark of 10.83s (the best ever achieved in the capital), with practically no wind (-0.1m/s), just one hundredth of a second off her time from a couple of days prior. The acceleration of the triple Olympic champion (and ten-time world champion) was simply extraordinary, and with the aforementioned 10.83s, she set a new meeting record. She ran in lane four, and to the left of the Jamaican was Barcelona’s Jaël-Sakura Bestué, who magnificently took advantage of the Caribbean’s slipstream, stopping the clock at 11.10s, finishing in second place and achieving a personal best, very close to the Spanish record.

Some of the best athletes in history have competed on the stage that will host the Madrid 2025 European Athletics Team Championships.

By Miguel Villaseñor

With an eye on the upcoming European Athletics Team Championships, to be held at the end of June on the green track of Madrid’s Vallehermoso stadium, we begin a journey back in time. In two installments, we will discover 20 legendary athletes who competed on the cinder and rubber tracks of Vallehermoso, in both the old and the new stadium. We will take a chronological tour, highlighting athletes who defined an era in world athletics and whom we were able to watch up close from the stands of the Madrid stadium.

Ralph Boston

60 years ago, on May 14, 1965, the Vallehermoso stadium was filled with 10,000 spectators in the stands. Many international figures competed in that SEU Festival, but among them all, the American Ralph Boston stood out. Boston was a living legend at the time, having surpassed Jesse Owens’ mythical world long jump record of 8.13 meters (set in 1935 and held for a quarter of a century) with a jump of 8.21 meters in 1960. Ralph Boston had broken the world record five more times, the last being 8.34 meters in 1964. Boston’s performance that day in Madrid was magnificent, as can be seen in his series of jumps: 8.12 – foul – 8.16 – 7.99 – 8.28 – 8.09. His 8.28-meter jump was just 6 cm short of his own world record. And note this other detail: the foul jump was measured at a staggering 8.51 meters. Two days later, many of the athletes who had competed in Madrid did so at the Montjuïc stadium in Barcelona, in another great afternoon of athletics. On a novel “rubkor” runway, a kind of primitive synthetic material, Boston achieved a jump of exactly 8 meters.

Colette Besson

At the end of August 1971, a thrilling Spain vs. France meet, for both men and women, was held in Vallehermoso. The French team arrived with all its stars. One of them was the reigning Olympic champion in the 400 meters, the always-remembered Colette Besson. Indeed, Besson was the first Olympic champion to compete in Vallehermoso; she had won her title at the Mexico 1968 Games. In Madrid, she had a fantastic performance, winning with a time of 52.7 seconds; consider that the world record at the time was 51.0. Following Besson was her compatriot Bernardette Martin; both pulled along the Galician Josefina Salgado, who achieved a new Spanish record with 55.4. Colette Besson was a legend, not only in athletics but in French sports. We were able to see her many times in Spain, such as in cross-country races in the Basque Country and on the old indoor tracks of Madrid or Sabadell. She passed away in 2005 at the age of 59 from breast cancer.

Guy Drut

The Frenchman Guy Drut was one of the most promising young hurdlers on the athletic scene in the early 1970s; he was a fine stylist, as they used to say, capable of challenging the formidable American hurdlers in the future. However, at the age of 20, at the European Championships in Helsinki in mid-August 1971, he had fallen after stumbling on the third hurdle in his heat, dashing French hopes, as Drut was one of the favorites for the title. At the end of that month, he appeared in Vallehermoso as part of a powerful French team, eager to redeem himself for his Helsinki fiasco. In that Spain-France meet, on the newly inaugurated tartan track of Vallehermoso, Guy Drut achieved his goal, stopping the clock at a magnificent 13.5 seconds, a high-caliber time never before seen in Spain. The future did indeed bring success to Guy Drut, as he was an Olympic silver medalist in Munich 1972, a gold medalist at the European Championships in Rome 1974, and, above all, the Olympic champion in Montreal 1976, this time defeating the best American hurdlers.

Pietro Mennea

In the final part of his long athletic career, the Italian Pietro Mennea became the Olympic champion in his favorite event, the 200 meters. This was in 1980, at the Moscow Games. At that time, the Italian had already been the world record holder since the previous year; a record he held for 17 years until it was broken by Michael Johnson. Earlier, as a 19-year-old, he competed in Vallehermoso during the World University Festival. Pietro Mennea surprisingly took victory in the 200 meters with a great time of 20.48 (although with an illegal tailwind). The junior Mennea was ecstatic after the race, as he had matched the best time of his idol, Livio Berruti, a legend of Italian athletics. History had a place reserved for Pietro Mennea, as the following year he won bronze at the Munich Olympics, in 1979 he set the world record in the 200 meters, and, as we mentioned at the beginning, in 1980 he was crowned Olympic champion.

Viktor Saneyev

For many years, in the late 60s and throughout the 70s, the Georgian Viktor Saneyev was the best triple jumper in the world. Not for nothing was he a three-time Olympic champion (1968, 1972, and 1976) and a one-time silver medalist (in 1980). In September 1971, he was in Vallehermoso for the World University meet. Saneyev was the world record holder, with 17.39 meters, since the Mexico Games. But in August of that same 1971, a very young and ephemeral Cuban, Pedro Pérez Dueñas, snatched the record from him by just 1 cm. Saneyev came to Madrid with the firm intention of reclaiming the world record. He tried valiantly but did not succeed. It was a competition “in crescendo,” with six valid jumps, and with the crowd that packed Vallehermoso completely captivated. On his last attempt, he reached 17.29 meters, just 11 cm short of the world record. Saneyev would manage to reclaim the world record the following year, in his homeland.

Rosa Mota

We remember many of the athletes we talk about in this article for their great achievements at the Vallehermoso stadium. But now we will talk about an athlete who went completely unnoticed at the time. In June 1975, one of the women’s European Cup qualifiers was held in Vallehermoso, with Spain as the host. In the 1,500 meters race, a 16-year-old Portuguese girl finished last by a wide margin, with a time of 4:55.47. Her name was Rosa Mota. That fragile and petite athlete became, seven years later, the European marathon champion (the first of her three European titles), world champion in 1987, a bronze medalist at the Los Angeles 1984 Games, and the Olympic champion in Seoul 1988. On that day in 1975, watching the very young Rosa cross the finish line, no one would have imagined that she would reach such great heights.

Daley Thompson

The British athlete Daley Thompson is one of the most memorable decathletes in history. And not only for his athletic feats, his titles, and his records, but also for his charisma on and off the track. Few know that a young Daley Thompson, only 18 years old, competed in Vallehermoso in June 1977, on a hot weekend during which a four-way combined events meet was held between Spain, Great Britain, Italy, and Denmark. Thompson’s performance did not go unnoticed, as he set a new junior world record with 8,190 points (8,056 with the current scoring tables), becoming the first under-20 athlete in history to surpass 8,000 points. Thompson remained undefeated in championships or Games for 9 years, being a two-time Olympic champion (1980 and 1984), a one-time world champion (1983), and a two-time European champion (1982 and 1986) in the decathlon.

Ulrike Meyfarth

At the Munich Olympic Games in 1972, a very young 16-year-old athlete from West Germany was crowned Olympic champion in the high jump. Her name was Ulrike Meyfarth, and she also used the then-novel Fosbury Flop style. In 1984, 12 years later, that same athlete, now 28, defended the colors of her club, Bayer Leverkusen, in the European Champion Clubs Cup held in Vallehermoso. She won, as expected, with a good jump of 1.94 meters, 2 cm higher than the mark that gave her the title in Munich. Three months later, in Los Angeles, she was crowned Olympic champion for the second time, 12 years after her first title. Epilogue to this story: the author of this piece jumped onto the Vallehermoso track and, among the crowd of kids surrounding Ulrike, managed to get the champion to sign his autograph on the ticket for that competition—which cost 100 pesetas—a ticket that this author guards like a treasure.

Alberto Juantorena

The Cuban Alberto Juantorena had been a double Olympic champion, in the 400 and 800 meters, at the Montreal 1976 Games. “El Caballo” (The Horse), as he was admiringly called, was always the center of attention. At the II MAM-Galgo Trophy in 1984, we were able to enjoy the enormous stride of a 33-year-old Juantorena in Vallehermoso. He had suffered a serious injury the previous year at the World Championships in Helsinki and was just returning to competition. However, his performance did not meet expectations, as he merely won his 400m race in 47.07. In his defense, it should be said that he had run an 800m in Italy the night before and had arrived in Madrid only a few hours earlier. That year, due to the boycott by communist countries, he could not compete in the Los Angeles Olympic Games. At the end of the 1984 season, Alberto Juantorena announced his retirement from the tracks, beginning a successful career in administration, as a member of the Cuban federation, the IAAF, and the International Olympic Committee. Juantorena has visited our country dozens of times; however, that was his only competition in Spain throughout his entire athletic career.

The 1962 Ibero-American Games

And we end this article at the beginning, not the end. And not with a specific athlete, but with an event that marked a historic milestone for Spanish athletics. With the Vallehermoso stadium almost newly inaugurated, the II Ibero-American Games were held there in October 1962. During those days, the Spanish public packed the stands every day of the competition, which proved too small for the occasion, and was able to enjoy top-level athletics, with all the Spanish and Ibero-American stars of the moment. A very notable fact at the time was that there was a women’s competition, albeit without Spanish athletes participating. Spanish women’s athletics had made a timid return in 1960 and it was still too early to compete with the experienced athletes from the Caribbean and South America. Those Ibero-American athletes were, without knowing it, the definitive boost for Spanish women’s athletics to join regular athletic activity. In Vallehermoso, some of the best marks ever achieved in Spain were recorded, and people could enjoy world-class athletes such as the Puerto Rican pole vaulter Rolando Cruz, the Chilean javelin thrower Marlene Ahrens (Olympic silver medalist six years earlier), the Argentine hurdler Juan Carlos Dyrzka, the Cuban sprinter Miguelina Cobián, and the Venezuelan decathlete Héctor Thomas.

The prestigious dealership will serve as the official mobility provider for the European Athletics Team Championships.

The Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA), the local organizing committee for the European Athletics Team Championships 2025, has announced an agreement with Star Madrid Retail, S.L., naming the Mercedes-Benz dealership the official mobility partner for the event. This championship is the continent’s most important outdoor team event of the year.

As part of the agreement, Star Madrid will provide essential transportation services for athletes, officials, and sports personalities throughout the Madrid 2025 championships.

The agreement was signed by Raúl Chapado Serrano, President of the RFEA, and Luis Barrado Martín, a representative of Star Madrid Retail, S.L. (SMR). It stipulates that Star Madrid will provide a fleet of its electric and hybrid vehicles to meet the logistical needs of the championship, which will bring together athletes from 16 national teams in the capital, including numerous Olympic, World, and European champions.

From June 26th to 29th, Madrid will become the epicenter of European athletics, with the Estadio de Vallehermoso serving as the main competition venue. Additionally, in an innovative move to connect the sport with the city’s historic legacy, the pole vault competition will take place in the iconic Plaza de Oriente, set against the backdrop of the Royal Palace. This initiative aims to bring athletics closer to the public and create a unique visual and emotional experience. The championship features a vibrant format where every point is crucial, emphasizing team spirit over individual performance.

An event of this magnitude requires a top-tier logistical operation. From coordinating transfers between hotels and venues to attending to the needs of technical delegations, Star Madrid’s partnership will ensure all transportation is handled with the efficiency, sustainability, and reliability that align with the standards of excellence defining both the brand and the championship.

This partnership with Star Madrid, representing the trusted Mercedes-Benz brand, reinforces Madrid 2025’s status as a premier event on the European calendar and highlights its shared commitment to organizational excellence and innovation. The RFEA is immensely grateful for this alliance, confident that it will contribute significantly to the success of a championship destined to make its mark on European and Spanish athletics history. It is also a great opportunity to showcase the best of our country as a host for major international events.

Two of Madrid’s most iconic symbols will be bringing energy and charm to the European Team Championships 2025: meet Chulapa and Castizo, a playful kitty and a cheerful bear here to support the top 16 national teams competing in the heart of the Spanish capital.

European Team Championships Madrid 2025 has unveiled two virtual mascots: Chulapa and Castizo, a cat and a bear who will delight athletics fans on the video screens at Estadio Vallehermoso and across all digital platforms. But why a cat and a bear to represent European athletics in Madrid?

The answer is simple—and familiar to almost anyone in Spain. The bear reaching up to the madroño tree is Madrid’s most recognized symbol. Named Castizo, this mascot’s name comes from a word deeply tied to the identity of the city. “Castizo” means “authentic” and “traditional,” evoking Madrid’s origins and its vibrant culture—its bars, parks, festivals, and museums. Madrid is castiza, and there’s no better figure to represent that spirit than a bear named Castizo.

And what about the kitty? Are there lots of felines running through Madrid’s streets? Not quite. But a person born in Madrid to Madrid-born grandparents is known as a “gato” (cat). Legend has it that during the 11th century, when Madrid was reconquered, a soldier climbed the city walls with the agility of a cat. A thousand years later, the nickname still refers to true Madrileños—not just by birth, but those who live and breathe the city with pride.

Our kitty couldn’t be named anything but Chulapa—a name not only tied to the city, but also to the working-class traditions of Madrid. Despite its millions of residents, the city has never lost its essence. “Chulapos” still dress in traditional outfits during the San Isidro festivities, carnation in hair, dancing gracefully with a signature dash of swagger. Chulapa captures that spirit perfectly.

ACTIVE AND VIRTUAL MASCOTS

Chulapa and Castizo will be the stars of the party at Madrid 2025. Through the big screens at Vallehermoso and across social media, our favorite kitty and bear will hype up the crowds and help everyone enjoy the European Team Championships to the fullest.

Beyond cheering, they’ll also show off some surprising athletic skills in videos—competing in their own way in classic athletics events. We won’t give away too much, but keep an eye on the official Madrid 2025 Instagram—you might just catch them in action soon!

There are good athletes. Great ones. Exceptional ones. And then there’s Miltiadis Tentoglou — truly in a league of his own. A long jumper who seems almost unreal, Tentoglou has claimed every major title imaginable: two-time Olympic champion, once World Champion, and three-time European Champion outdoors. Add to that two World Indoor titles and three European Indoor crowns. That’s 11 gold medals on the sport’s biggest stages.

And he’s not done yet.

The Greek sensation also captured the overall Diamond League title, with nine individual victories since 2021. At just 27 years old, Tentoglou is in his prime — his personal best, a jaw-dropping 8.65 meters, came in the final of the 2023 European Championships in Rome.

In the European Team Championships, he has already secured three individual wins (twice in the First Division), and he’ll arrive in Madrid chasing a fourth — aiming to complete the poker. Off the track, he’s sure to feel at home in a city full of architectural wonders, especially as an athlete whose journey began in the world of parkour.