Spain has named a full size team for the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Lisbon on 8 December.
Not since 2015 have the Spaniards won the men’s senior title but they will be strong contenders for their first title in four years next month. Their line-up is headed by the excellent 20-year-old Ouassim Oumaiz who defeated a stellar line-up at the start of the month in Atapuerca, including four top-10 finishers from the World Cross Country Championships.
The silver medallist behind Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the U20 race twelve months ago, Oumaiz is eligible for the next three editions of the U23 race but he took the decision to forego the intermediate category following a string of excellent early season results on the Spanish cross country circuit. You can find more about the up-and-coming Spaniard here.
Can Ouassim Oumaiz win a senior medal at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships?
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) November 20, 2019
At 20, Oumaiz is Spain's big hope in Lisbon next month.
: https://t.co/ggAZqyyTgy pic.twitter.com/8D5nn6ba6v
The senior men’s team is replete with familiar names including Carlos Mayo who makes his senior debut following individual silver medals at both U20 and U23 level at the European Cross Country Championships. Former European 10,000m bronze medallist Antonio Abadia will be making his ninth appearance at the championships while European 3000m steeplechase silver medallist Fernando Carro is another high profile addition to the Spanish team.
The Spaniards have amassed an excellent record in the senior men’s race since the inception of the championships, winning eleven individual and team titles - and 37 medals in total - since 1994.
Spain’s sole title in Tilburg last year came in the mixed relay and both female runners - Esther Guerrero and anchor runner Solange Pereira - will return for team duties next month. They will join forces this time around with Pablo Sanchez and Sergio Jimenez.
There will also be high hopes both individually and collectively in the men’s U23 race. Their team includes European U23 1500m champion Ignacio Fontes and European U23 5000m bronze medallist Abdessamad Oukhelfen.
The full Spanish team can be found here.