There are few tougher race endings in athletics than the one experienced this past Friday night. 29 year old Spanish Laura García-Carothat lost the European bronze in the 20km he marches in the last meter after celebrating ahead of time.
García-Caro will celebrate with the flag of Spain and his fist raised
The Huelva athlete, already with the Spanish flag hanging around his neck and celebrating with his fist high, she was surpassed in the last meters by the Ukrainian Olyanovskawho pushed seeing her rival’s relaxation and ended up winning the bronze medal to the disbelief of the Spanish woman.
The images spoke for themselves and all you had to do was look at García-Caro’s face when she realized that Olyanovska had literally surpassed her by a meter before crossing the finish line.
Spain appealed that Olyanovska ran in the final meters
However, Spain complained that the Ukrainian ran during the final meters and that was what allowed him to overtake Laura. An appeal that was not accepted by the judges and that ended up leaving the athlete from Huelva completely dejected, as she spoke to the press minutes later on the verge of tears.
“I am very disappointed by what has happened”
“Yes, it is true that in the 300 and 200 I was looking back because I knew I was relatively close, but At 100 I looked again and saw that I don’t know if it was 40 or 50 meters ahead. and I tried to sprint as hard as I had and I already thought I couldn’t catch it. And well, the truth is that I haven’t even felt it anymore… and well, I thought I already had it. I haven’t even looked at the stadium’s giant screen. I was focused on getting there. And if, maybe they gave me too soonupon entering the stadium, the flag of Spainbut at no time have I felt like a medalist before my time,” he said.
“Perhaps they gave me the Spanish flag too soon… but at no time did I feel like a medalist before my time”
The test was won by the Italian Nelly Palmisano followed by her compatriot Valentina Trapletti. The other two Spaniards who finished in the best position were Cristina Montesinos, sixth; and Raquel González, ninth.
This time it was García-Caro, a Spanish woman, who has experienced first-hand the cruelest end that an athlete who almost wins a medal can have, however, she has not been the only one nor the last to whom a situation will happen. similar. Ben Payne, Mateo Bustos and many more examples are conclusive proof that in sport, as in life, you should never trust yourself.
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