20th May 2012 08:35
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| Ayad Lamdassem will spearhead the Spanish team at the European Cup 10,000m on home soil in Bilbao on 3 June. |
The men's team includes 2010 and 2011 SPAR European Cross Country Championships silver medallist Ayad Lamdassem.
After a disappointing marathon debut recently, Lamdassem told local media in Spain that he is aiming to bounce back with brilliant performances at the Cup and then the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki, which will be held from 27 June – 1 July.
Lamdassem can boast of a best over 25 laps of the track of 27:45.58, which dates from 2008, but he will be looking to improve on that mark in Bilbao.
The Spanish squad also includes 2004 and 2009 Cup winner José Manuel 'Chema' Martinez, whose list of continental honours includes the 2002 European Athletics Championships 10,000m gold medal, a silver over the same distance four years later and a marathon silver medal at the 2010 European Athletics Championships.
The Spanish federation have said that Martinez will only make a decision at the last minute whether he will compete or not, having pulled out of the Hamburg Marathon last month after suffering a problem with his left foot.
What may add to Martinez's motivation to be on the start line in Bilbao is the fact that last year, when he finished second in Oslo, he lead Spain to victory in the team competition.
The last time Spain took a medal in the women's team competition was five years ago in 2007, when they won the title, but they could be back on the podium again with a lot of attention being focussed on 25-year-old Lidia Rodríguez, who set a personal best of 32:59.51 when finishing fourth at the Trofeo Ibérico in Lisbon in March.
The complete Spanish teams are:
Men - Ayad Lamdassem, Carles Castillejo, Manuel Penas, David Solís, Daniel Sanz, Chema Martínez.
Women - Vanessa Veiga, Lidia Rodríguez, Marta Silvestre, Estela Navascués , Alba García.