Win with 6.69 in his last jump, fifth best Spanish mark in history, in a contest in which the first nine made a personal mark
Nunca a women’s long final of a Spanish Championship had displayed as many great marks as the one this Saturday in Getafe. In that tsunami of personal records -the first nine classified improved their records-, the unexpected winner was Leticia Gil, who in her final jump flew up to 6.69 meters, a mark with which she improved her personal mark by 30 centimeters to place herself fifth Spanish of all time.
By just one centimeter, the Playas de Castellón athlete beat Fatima Diame in the last round , who in her third attempt had placed the lead with 6.68, equaling her best time ever.
And that was difficult for Rafa Blanquer’s pupil to enter the competition. A void in the first and a failure in the beat in the second (5.36) complicated things, while his rivals had started the contest in a big way. Tessy Ebosele had gone on her initial jump to 6.42, while Maria Vicente also set her record at 6.40.
But at the stroke of a personal best, the classification of the length was varying. Diame rose to the lead on her third attempt, with 6.68, while Laila Lacuey provisionally relegated Vicente off the podium, with 6.49 on the fourth attempt.
María answered again in the pit, with 6.54 in that fourth round, her personal best in the test, while Tessy Ebosele increased her distance from bronze, with 6.59, to place the European leader of the year under 20.
However, the final blow was dealt by Leticia, who in November had surgery on her Achilles tendon. She jumped to 6.69 and burst into tears, without consolation, knowing that she was almost the winner of her first Spanish outdoor championship. Diame couldn’t beat Gil’s record on her last attempt and had to settle for silver. Never has an athlete run out of a medal with a jump of 6.40.
“I didn’t expect it, I knew I was in shape, but not something like that,” said Leticia Gil with the gold around her neck. “It is a reward because I had surgery in November and I have had a difficult season.”
Sergio Fernández, champion in the 400 meters
With only two races in 2021, the semifinals and the final, Sergio Fernández regained the title of champion of Spain of 400 meters hurdles after two years without competing due to injuries. The hurdler, who adds his seventh national title, won with 49.55, after reaching the straight in first position. He was the only finalist who fell below 50.00, the second place went to Mark Ujakpor, with 50.07. “I have felt like an athlete again almost two years later. Winning with this brand gives me security and confidence,” he said.
The duel in the women’s 400 meters was starred by Laura Bueno and Aauri Lorena Bokesa, who have run the most this year in Spain. It was Valencia athletics that took the victory, and its third national title, with 52.02. Bokesa finished second (52.29).
On the puck, Louis Maikel Martínez, with a best pitch of 61.68 on his fifth attempt, claimed his fourth consecutive national title.