Asier Martínez, only Spanish victory
María Vicente retired due to discomfort thinking about the World Cup
MADRID, 2 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The triple jump Olympic champion, the Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas, kept the excitement going until the close of the World Indoor Tour that hosted Madrid this Wednesday, again in Gallur, where she came within three centimeters of a new world record, while the Spaniard Asier Martínez was the only champion at home.
Rojas is the best on and off the track, and Madrid has it won. Two years ago she did 15.43 and broke the world record, although last summer in Tokyo 2020 she made her feat even greater with gold and record. The Venezuelan chose the Spanish capital as a test for the ‘indoor’ World Cup in Belgrade in two weeks.
Iván Pedroso’s pupil prepared the record alert with a second jump of 15.35 and in the penultimate one he made 15.41. The Olympic champion, with the clapping choir from Gallur, was left with honey on her lips, like Madrid, but she showed that her reign will be long. The Sports Center, full under the COVID protocol, came from the records of Rojas and, last year, of Grant Holloway.
Until the 60 meters hurdles the Spanish victory did not come, an Asier Martínez who is still homeless. Before, the great duel was served in 3,000, but the Spanish duo could not beat the Ethiopian. In the healthy national pique, Adel Mechaal prevailed over Mohamed Katir, complying with the forecasts. With his double in the Spanish Championship (1,500 and 3,000), his European record in New York, Mechaal showed his great moment, although it was not enough.
Selemon Barega (7:34.03) and Lamecha Girma were first and second, two Olympic medalists who took the test in the last kilometer, with the Spanish fighting. Barega was the bravest, while Girma escaped a Mechaal who had the plan to eliminate one of the Ethiopians for the World Cup.
The general victory in the Circuit and the invitation to the World Cup that it includes was African, while Katir, who will not be in Belgrade, left good feelings after a difficult winter fighting with COVID. Another who shone in New York, a Mariano García, also an exponent of the great start of 2022 for national athletics around the world, was also left without a prize.
The ‘Moto’ García, leader of the year since that Yankee race, arrived just at the last lap in the 800 and could not contain the Englishman Elliot Giles (1:45.43). This victory in the World Indoor Tour and an extra place for the World Cup that will be British escaped the Murcian. After the contained joy, Asier Martínez gave the only Spanish victory to the Gallur fans.
He had to wait for the photo finish, as could already be inferred from some very tight semifinals, but the Navarrese was the leader of the year and with 7.56 he beat his compatriot Enrique Llopis, with the same time. Another example of that moment of constantly breaking national records and marks, Martínez, 21, is the sixth Spaniard to win a Circuit event in 2022.
The audience in the capital, which began with a minute of silence in solidarity with Ukraine for the warlike invasion it is suffering from Russia, had not yet filled the pavilion when they lamented the withdrawal of María Vicente. The pentathlon record holder decided not to continue in the long contest after her second jump, where she noticed a discomfort in the thigh of her left leg.
The Spanish champion was clear that she would not continue thinking about the World Cup in Belgrade. Thus, the competition heated up with that women’s length title, for which the local favorite Fátima Diame came to fight, but the British Lorraine Ugen stayed with one of the six championship records that were broken.