The Valencian Víctor Ruiz, the Malaga-born Ouassim Oumaiz, World Cup and European minimums of the 3,000 meters obstacles and the 5,000, and the women’s 4×100 relay, Spain’s record, emerged as absolute protagonists of the sixteenth edition of the Ibero-American Meeting of Huelva. Sonia Molina, Lucía Carrillo, Paula Sevilla and Carmen Marco signed a great record of 43.28 beating the Spanish B team (44.97) and the Sub 20 quartet (45.76). In its wake, the U-18 national team came fifth, breaking the Spanish record for the category with 46.31, thanks to the efforts of Adriana López, Naiara Pérez, Laura Martínez and Carla Martiregui.
For its part, Ruiz signed a record in the 3,000 obstacles of 8:16.42, a time below the minimum required to participate in both the World Championships in Eugene and the European Championships in Munich. He made his personal best by being second in the test with a record that is also the thirteenth best in the national history and the sixth world championship of the year. Ruiz had a great race, which ended up being won practically in the last stride by the Frenchman Mehdi Belhadj (8:16.39). Third finished the Algerian Bilal Tabtl (8:20.71).
In the 5,000 meters, Ouassim Oumaiz also successfully sought the minimum double, who gave everything to win a great time of 13:06.74, the fifth best Spanish mark of all time and the third European of the year. The man from Malaga was fourth after an African trio formed by the Kenyan Levy Kibet (13:03.09), the Eritrean Merhawi Mebrahtu (13:04.49) and the Burundian Thierry Ndikumwenayo (13:06.46). In this test the sixth classified, Elzan Bibic, broke the Serbian record with 13:24.42.
In addition there were three other U-20 national records. Mireya Arnedillo with 4:11.06 beat the record held by Carmen Valero in 1,500 meters since 1974 with 4:11.61. For her part, in the 400 meters Berta Segura broke the record of Spain Sub 20 with 52.72, also placing herself as the European leader of the year in her category. In the men’s 4×100 relay she set a new under 20 national record with 39.42. The quartet formed by Jaime Mendoza, Mario Mena, Jaime Sancho and Abel Alejandro Jordán He also achieved the second best world record of the year and the best European. He did not achieve the European minimum but was close in an exciting 1,500 Adrián Ben, who beat his personal mark with 3: 36.41 and was 41 hundredths of the time required to be in Munich. He was overtaken in the final meters by the Norwegian Narve Gilje Nordas (3:36.23). The Irishman Andrew Coscoran (3:36.84) and the 800m indoor world champion, Mariano García (3:37.31) also broke their best times ever. A Valiente Kevin López, always in the lead until the last lap, finished tenth (3:41.49).
For its part, the French Gabriel Tual, Olympic finalist in Tokyo, was placed as the European leader of the year in the 800 meters by winning with a record of 1:45.12, minimum for the World Cup. After him came second the Burundian Eric Nzikwinkunda (1:45.26) and Alberto Guerrero finished third with a personal best (1:46:01). The best European record of the year was also made by France’s Alice Marie Genevieve Finot, who, after a great last straight, finished in 9:21.41. Second was the British Aimee Pratt (9:25.48) and third the Ethiopian Asimarech Naga (9:30.46). The best Spaniard was Clara Viñarás (9:44.24), ninth with a personal best after Argentina’s Carolina Lozano (9:42.88).
Another European victory came at length. The Croatian Filip Pradavica prevailed with a best jump of 7.91 meters, followed by the Uruguayan Emiliano Lasa (7.82) and the Peruvian José Luis Mandrós (7.77). The Ibero-American bronze Héctor Santos could not perform as expected in front of his public and finished seventh with 7.50. In the 400 meters hurdles, the Ibero-American champion in Alicante, the Costa Rican, Gerald Drummond, dominated with 49.43, after which the Spanish Jesús David Delgado, Ibero-American bronze, who with 49.53 improved the best Spanish mark of the year, the 49.82 with which climbed to the podium in Alicante. The Brazilian Mikael Antonio de Jesús closed the podium with 49.55.
In the women’s 400 meters the victory went to the Dominican Fiordaliza Cofil, Ibero-American runner-up, who improved her personal best (50.64) with 50.38. After her, the Lithuanian Modesta Juste Morauskaite broke her country’s record with 50.49. Third finished Eveline Saalerg from the Netherlands (51.22). In the final B of 400 Eva Santidrián, who won with 53.00, achieved the best Spanish mark of the year and placed fourth under 23 in history. Her teammate from FC Barcelona, Lucía Pinacchio, was second with another good record of 53.22, second Spanish of the year and sixth under 23 ever. Both surpassed the athlete from São Tomé and Príncipe Gorete Semedo, who finished in 53.48, in the final stretch.
In the 1,500 women beat their personal records obsolete as a first step to attack the European minimum the Spanish Agueda Muñoz, runner-up of Spain and Ibero-American (4:10.13), and Marina Martínez: (4:10.51). They entered the finish line after the Dutch Maureen Koster (4:08.77). In pole vault, the favorite, the British Holly Bradshaw, Olympic bronze in Tokyo and who last year reached 4.85 in Huelva to break the meeting record. This time she stayed at 4.60, the same mark as her compatriot Molly Caudery, second with a worse second jump. Third was the Spanish Andrea San José with 4.25, the same mark that the fourth did, Mónica Clemente, who comes from being Ibero-American champion.
There was also a European victory in the discus throw. In men, the British Nicholas Percy (62.23 meters), the Cuban Mario Díaz (60.90) and the Frenchman Lolassonn Djouhan (60.42) formed the podium. In the women’s contest, the Danish Lisa Brix Pedersen won with a best shot of 59.35 meters and beat the Chilean Karen Gallardo (59.16) and the Dutch Alida Van Daalen (57.96). In the rest of the races of the international 4×100 relay meeting between Spain and Portugal, in the women’s final B, the Spanish team A signed a great record of 43.58. The quartet was made up of Carmen Marco, Lucía Carrillo, Paula Sevilla and S. Molina Prados .
In the men’s 4×100 relay, the Spanish team A, the Ibero-American champion quartet in Alicante, won with 38.91, the best Spanish mark of the year. Second was the U20 national team, which with 39.42 beat the Spanish record for the category by almost one tenth. The record of Jaime Mendoza, Mario Mena, Jaime Sancho and Abel Alejandro Jordán is also the second best world record of the year and the best European. In the other series, the Spanish team A won with 39.19, ahead of Portugal (39.48) and the Spanish team B (39.77).