2022 world indoor and European gold medallist Mariano Garcia headlines a talented group of Spaniards at the Gran Premio Ciudad de Valencia, World Athletics Indoor Tour Bronze competition on 31 January.
Garcia will be racing over 800m after opening his season in Luxembourg on 18 January and just missing out on Kujawy Pomorze 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships qualification by 0.44 seconds.
In the women’s race over the same distance, Spain’s Lorea Ibarzabal will face Nelly Jepkosgei, CISM Military World Games 2019 medallist, and Angelina Sarna, a European Championships finalist.
Cubans Christian Napoles, world bronze medallist, and Olympian Davisleydi Velazco lead the triple jump entries as they both open their indoor seasons.
Bestue and Perez set for head-to-head
In the sprints, Spanish relay teammates Jael Bestue and Maria Perez will race side-by-side over 60m.
They were both part of Spain’s 4x100m fifth place team at Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships, and Budapest 2022 World Athletics Championships, but individually are also European Athletics Championship finalists.
Another home star is Enrique Llopis, Rome 2024 European Championships silver medallist, who will race over the 60m hurdles after setting a blistering time of 7.50 in Luxembourg earlier this month – comfortably qualifying him for Kujawy Pomorze 2026.
Portugal’s Gerson Balde will compete in the long jump for the first time this year after competing over 60m in Lisbon, where he set a time of 6.89.
While in the women’s long jump Spain’s 22-year-old, Evelyn Yankey Awotwi, will be looking to follow up her monster 6.79m jump from last year and qualify for Kujawy Pomorze 20226.