Reigning European 200m champion Bruno Hortelano is one of the standout names on the Spanish team for the Berlin 2018 European Athletics Championships from 7-12 August.
After missing the entirety of the 2017 season due to hand injuries sustained in a car crash, Hortelano has worked his way back into some excellent form. He broke his Spanish 200m record with 20.04 in the semifinals at the Spanish Championships last weekend before winning the final in 20.15.
Hortelano also lowered the Spanish 400m record to 44.69 last month and he is part of a strong 4x400m team which also includes Oscar Husillos, Lucas Bua and Samuel Garcia who have all been named in the individual 400m.
2016 - Sustains severe hand injuries in a car crash
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) July 23, 2018
2017 - Misses the entirety of the season, including the World Champs
2018 - Smashes the Spanish records in the 200m (20.04) and 400m (44.69)#MotivationMonday https://t.co/U7sEvgbCrR pic.twitter.com/Zz8xHoRs3o
Rio 2016 Olympic Games 110m hurdles silver medallist Orlando Ortega will be contesting for his first European medal next month while European indoor 3000m champion Adel Mechaal has been named for both the 5000m and 10,000m.
Maria Vicente was the outstanding athlete at the European Athletics U18 Championships in Gyor, Hungary earlier this month when she won titles in both the heptathlon and triple jump. The 17-year-old will be making her senior championships debut in the latter event after surpassing the qualifying mark with 13.95m in the sixth round of the triple jump final in Gyor.
At the other end of the age spectrum, former world 50km race walk champion Jesus Angel Garcia, 48, will be competing in his seventh European Championships. The race walking team also includes reigning European 20km race walk champion Miguel Angel Lopez, one of four race walkers confirmed for the 20km race walk.
Spain won three gold medals at the 2016 European Championships and finished sixth on the medal table.
Click here for the full team.
More information on the 2018 European Championships:
- The Berlin 2018 European Athletics Championships will be part of the first multisport European Championships along with co-hosts Glasgow.
- It will be a must-watch, must-attend experience that elevates the status of European Champions, uniting existing European Championships to celebrate the highest honour in European sport and celebrating the defining moments that create Champions.
- It is the continent’s ultimate multi-sport event, an 11-day celebration of European sport staged every four years.
- Seven of Europe’s leading sports (athletics, aquatics, rowing, golf, cycling, gymnastics, triathlon) will be brought together for the first edition.
- The European Athletics Championships in Berlin will be staged 7-12 August. The six other sports will be staged in Glasgow through 2-12 August.
- 4500 athletes and 52 nations will compete across the seven sports.
- Potential TV audience of over one billion with millions more across multiple digital platforms.