This time there were no medals for Spain. This time it was close but neither the eighth nor the ninth came. On this occasion what they experienced were two shots at the post on the first day without metals for the Spanish delegation. Sara Gallego from Barcelona in the 400 meter hurdles and Dani Arce from Burgos in the 3,000 meter obstacles were left with honey on their lips, in a meritorious fourth position but without a prize. Arce could not dedicate the podium to his mother, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, and Gallego had it in a heartbeat, just eleven hundredths behind. At 21 years old and with his progression, his future is still his.
There were no medals but the first step of what could be new successes between Saturday and Sunday. As in the relays where Spain put three of its four quartets in the final. Or in the 800 meters, where Mariano García, the one on the motorcycle, shone with his own light by winning his semifinal with a bestial feeling of power. He was brave, smart and strong. Meanwhile, Adrián Ben was left out and disappointed to be seventh in his heat.
Going by parts, three bullets had the Spanish team in the 3,000 obstacles, the aforementioned Arce, Sebastián Martos and Víctor Ruiz. The first came with the third European mark of the year and having been the best athlete on the continent in the World Cup (ninth position). He left quietly inside the package, without pulling or exposing himself. The race was of medium pace (2m52s the first kilometer, 2m49s the second). The first to shake things up were the three Italians, led by the Zoghlami brothers. They pulled the cart and Arce positioned himself well, just behind. It seemed an ideal situation, while Martos also advanced positions. There was a lap and a half left and both were about to crash into each other. They lost gravel and the Finnish Raitanen (8m21s80) stole the wallet from the Italians Abdelwahed (8m22s35) and Osama Zoghlami (8m24s44). Arce tried to pull himself together but he didn't have enough strength. In the end, fourth was Burgos (8m25s00) and sixth was Martos (8m26s68). Less expectations had the Catalan Pol Retamal in the 200 meters. His presence in the final was already a success for him. He came sixth (20s63).
Shortly after, Sara Gallego entered the scene. She knew that if she wanted to fight for the medals she had to be close to her or lower her Spanish record (54s34) but she was ambitious. She believed and believes in what she does. Leaving aside her great favorite, the Dutch Femke Bol, who got her second gold, she was barely 44 hundredths between the marks of the year of the other seven contenders. Maximum equality therefore.
Gallego, as usual, regulated his effort and distributed his speed to end up moving up positions on the last straight. For a moment it seemed that he would give him a bronze but he reached the goal with 54.97. He was right that if he had repeated his Spain record he would have been third to spare. Behind Bol (52.67, championship record) came the Ukrainians Viktoriya Tkachuk (54.30) and Anna Ryzhykova (54.86).
If Gallego fought for the medals, so will the relays. The men's 4x400, made up of Samuel García, Lucas Búa, Óscar Husillos and Manuel Guijarro, won their series, with a mark of 3m1s27, the third fastest Spanish time of all time. In the women's 4x400 Eva Santidrián, Aauri Bokesa, Berta Segura and Laura Hernández had to wait a little longer, getting into the time final. His record, 3m27s76. It had been more than 30 years since a Spanish quartet had run so fast in this event.
The representatives of the 4x100 did even better. Sonia Molina, Jaël Bestué, Paula Sevilla and Maribel Pérez embroidered it. 42s95 for them, the third best Spanish brand ever. They had no problem getting into the final and were only surpassed by the British (42.83). This will be the test that closes the competition on Sunday. This Saturday will be the turn of the 20-kilometre walk, the 4x400 men's and the 4x400 women's. Strong emotions follow.
