Ahead of the 2025 Golden Tracks awards night in Batumi, Georgia on 25 October, we put the spotlight on Maria Pérez who has once again been the world’s dominant race walker in 2025.
Having also been a finalist in 2023, will Pérez be crowned women’s European Athlete of the Year for 2025?
2025 highlights
- World 20km and 35km race walk champion
- European Race Walking Team Championships 35km winner
- World leader in the 35km race walk with 2:38:59
Spain’s Maria Pérez has been in unstoppable form this year, winning all seven of her races over a range of distances in the race walking events.
Pérez gave notice to her form with a commanding continental victory in the 35km race walk at the European Race Walking Team Championships in Podebrady where she won in a world lead of 2:38:59 despite stopping on two occasions.
And at the World Athletics Championships, it was business as usual with Pérez defending both her 20km and 35km race walk titles. Seemingly impervious to the hot and humid conditions, Pérez won the 35km race walk title - the first gold medal to be awarded in Tokyo - in 2:39:01 by over three minutes before
And while Pérez couldn’t quite improve her world record of 2:37:15 in the 35km race walk, the Spaniard closes the year with ownership of five of the 12 fastest times in history in the event.
What they said
On winning gold in the 35km race walk…
“I wanted to win medals in two races here so I am happy. I was aiming for the world record but the weather made it difficult. I want to thank all the Japanese fans - they learned my name and cheered on the last lap. Even far from home, it felt like home.”
On defending both of her world titles…
“I have been to five World Championships and this is my fourth medal. I am the happiest woman in the world. I did not come here today to make history in women's sport. I just came to improve myself and not focus on the time.”
Did you know?
Maria Pérez's first major title dates back to the 2018 European Athletics Championships in Berlin where she won the 20km race walk title at the age of 22.
After being disqualified from the 20km race walk in 2022 and missing the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome due to injury, Perez will have two shots of winning gold at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.
The programme in Birmingham 2026 includes the first ever iterations of the half marathon and marathon race walking events which will replace the 20km and 35km race walk events.
Last 10 women's European Athlete of the Year winners
2024 - Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR)
2023 - Femke Bol (NED)
2022 - Femke Bol (NED)
2021 - Sifan Hassan (NED)
2020 - not held
2019 - Mariya Lasitskene (ANA/RUS)
2018 - Dina Asher-Smith (GBR)
2017 - Katerina Stefanidi (GRE)
2016 - Ruth Beitia (ESP)
2015 - Dafne Schippers (NED)
2014 - Dafne Schippers (NED)