Carmen Valero, double cross country world champion He became the first Spanish Olympian in 1976 and 1977. He died this Tuesday as a result of a stroke He suffered pain and was admitted to intensive care last week, according to the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation.
Valero, 68 years old, He was born in the town of Teruel, Castelserás. On October 4, 1955, he soon left for Catalonia and settled in Sabadell, where he died. “I feel half Catalan and half smart,” he said on different occasions.
He started athletics in 1969 at Joventut Atlètica de Sabadell under coach Josep Molins, who died in March 2023, where he began to achieve success.
He was the first Spanish Olympic athleteHe competed in competitions at the 1976 Montreal Games. 800 and 1,500 meters. In addition, his record also includes fifteen Spanish track championships at distances such as 3,000 and 5,000 meters and two world cross-country championships in Chepstow 1976 and Düsseldorf 1977; 25-time international and national record holder in the 800, 1500 and 3,000 meters. years.
“Our Pioneer”
“Carmen Valero has passed away. Our pioneer. woman paving the way. The mother of our athletics. The first Olympic athlete. Two-time cross country world champion. The best Spanish athlete of the 20th century. Thank you Carmen, we will be forever grateful. DEP,” expressed RFEA on social network X.
One of Carmen Valero’s last public appearances took place in May 2023, at the IV Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo Memorial held on the cinderella court of the Complutense University of Madrid, where she was paid tribute by the Spanish Association of Athletics Statisticians. who chose it The best female athlete of the 20th century.
“Today is a very sad day, it is impossible for us to say goodbye to the woman who transformed our history. Carmen innate talent amidst nearly impossible circumstances for woman. Thanks to him, we are in this situation today. We never forget you. RIP,” Raúl Chapado, president of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation, wrote in X.