Jesús España competing in the Spanish Champs in Seville (© Juan Jose Úbeda)
Some of Spains top running stars will compete in Valencia’s Palau Luis Puig on 14 February in “Ciudad de Valencia” International Indoor Meeting which will be one of the deciding meets for national team selection ahead of the European Indoor Championships in Turin, Italy, at the start of March.
The “Ciudad de Valencia” International Indoor Meeting is an IAAF Indoor Permit meeting.
The main point of local interest will focus as usual on the middle and long distance running events.
In the 800m, Spanish outdoor and indoor record holder Antonio Reina leads the line-up. The athlete born in Seville has achieved two medals in the European Indoors, including a bronze medal in Vienna 2002 and silver in Madrid 2005. His national record indoors is 1:45.25, a performance achieved in the first of those competitions.
In Valencia, Reina will face another European medallist Miguel Quesada, who achieved the silver medal in Birmingham two years ago. Also in the race will be Luis Alberto Marco, who was fourth in that final.
In the longest event of the programme, the 3000m, the double European medallist at this distance Jesús España, who will look for a good performance to book his team place for Turin. The personal best of this athlete born in Madrid is 7:42.70, a performance which gave him fourth place in Birmingham’s 2003 World Indoor Championships.
In addition, Sergio Sánchez, the current Spanish champion and eighth in last year’s Valencia World Indoor Championships will also be on the starting lane for the 3000m.
The women’s 3000m will count on two outstanding participants, the sisters Iris and Zulema Fuentes-Pila. Both took part in Beijing Olympics respectively in the 1500m and the 3000m Steeplechase. Iris finished 8th in her final while Zulema was 12th.
Ignacio Mansilla for the IAAF
