Spanish race walker left red-faced after a premature celebration within touching distance of the finish line costs her a European bronze medal in Rome
- Racewalker Laura Garcia-Caro missed third place by the narrowest of margins
- The Spaniard was overtaken as she celebrated approaching the finish line
Spanish race walker Laura Garcia-Caro was left red-faced in Rome as she punched the air thinking she was about to win a European bronze medal – but was overtaken just as she celebrated.
Garcia-Caro finished clearly in third place as she entered the Stadio Olimpico for the final 400 meters of the women’s 20km race walk, the first medal event of these European Championships.
The 29-year-old, who was even presented with a Spanish flag upon arrival at the arena, was all smiles as she approached the finish line, punching the air and sticking out her tongue.
But unbeknownst to Garcia-Caro, the fast-finishing Lyudmyla Olyanovska had closed the gap on the home straight.
And just as Garcia-Caro celebrated with two meters to go, Olyanovska raced past her to take the bronze.
Laura Garcia-Caro entered the final 400 meters of the women’s 20km race walk thinking she had secured a bronze medal
However, the celebrations proved premature and she was overtaken by Lyudmyla Olyanovska
“Today is a happy day for me to win this bronze medal.” said Olyanovska after the race.
‘Most importantly, I would like to thank my mother, my father and all of Ukraine. It is a very emotional moment for me.
‘Of course I was tired in the last kilometer and last meters, but I really wanted to win this medal for my country.’
Garcia-Caro could only watch in horror as it dawned on her that she had just missed out on her first major medal.
After the event, the Spaniard said: ”I was very tired in the last lap. I tried my best.’
“The desperate look on Laura Garcia-Caro’s face, she can’t believe it,” Tim Hutchings said in a BBC commentary.
‘Two meters from the line, Garcia-Caro had her hands in the air, expecting to be on the podium.
The Spaniard appeared dejected after narrowly missing out on the first major medal of her career
‘She only realized with one step on the line that Lyudmila Olyanovska was coming and she overhauled her!’
To the delight of the home crowd, the race was won by Italy’s Antonella Palmisano in 1 hour and 28.08 minutes, ahead of her compatriot Valentina Trapletti, who took silver in 1:28.37.
Olyanovska, who served a four-year doping ban between 2015 and 2019, and Garcia-Caro were given the same times of 1:28.48.
But it was the athlete from Ukraine who contributed her bronze medal from the 2015 World Championships.