Spain has named a typically strong team for the European Race Walking Team Championships in Podebrady, Czechia on 18 May.
The 22-strong team is headed by double world champion Maria Perez who won the 35km race walk in Podebrady two years ago in a world record of 2:37:15, a mark that still remains on the record books.
Perez led a historic Spanish clean sweep in the 35km race walk two years ago ahead of Raquel Gonzalez and Cristina Montesinos who are both named on this year’s team.
Another significant name on the senior teams is two-time European champion Miguel Angel Lopez who contests the 35km race walk, the distance over which he was crowned European champion in Munich 2022.
The main medal hope in the 20km race walk will be 2024 European silver medallist and reigning European U23 champion Paul McGrath.
And the Spaniards will have strong prospects in the U20 races. The women’s 10km team includes European U18 and U20 champion Sofia Santacreu. The 19-year-old won bronze at last year’s World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya.
Spain dominated the 2023 European Race Walking Team Championships, winning six of the 14 gold medals, including four of the six team titles.