on the banks of the Danube, the National Athletics Center in Budapest will host an event from August 19 to 27 characterized by elevated temperatures. Spain will be represented by a squad of 60 athletes (27 men and 33 women), with five of them expected to double in assignments: Álvaro Martín and María Pérez across multiple distances during the Outdoor Athletics World Championships, Mohamed Katir competing in the 1500 and 5000 meters, Jaël Bestué taking part in the 100 and 200 meters plus the short relay, and María Vicente joining in the trio events.
A heatwave will complicate the World Athletics Championships in Budapest
At a glance, the European medal table from Eugene shows Poland leading with one gold and four medals, while Spain picked up bronze thanks to Mohamed Katir in the 1500 meters and Asier Martínez in the 110 hurdles. This sets a strong baseline for podium chances across a compact lineup of six events, including the 20 and 50 km walks for men and women, the 20 km walk for women, and the 50 km events being phased out in favor of shorter distances.
20km walk
Opening the program in Budapest, the men’s 20 km race walk starts at 8:50 a.m. on Saturday, the 19th, featuring Álvaro Martín from Extremadura and other top contenders like Diego García from Madrid, who has continental bronze from 2022 and silver from 2018, rising star Paul McGrath, and the Spanish kingpin Luis Alberto Amezcua in 2022. Diego García remains a potential podium threat, but Martín stands out as the strongest option to contend for a global podium after asserting domestic supremacy in recent seasons. Global standings place Chinese walker Jun Zhang among the year’s top performers with a 1:17:38 best, shadowed by Caio Bonfim of Brazil, Koki Izeda of Japan, David Hurtado of Ecuador, and Declan Tingay of Australia. The field also includes Massimo Stano of Italy, the Olympic champion, and Toshikazu Yamanishi of Japan, the winner of the last two World Cup editions, both with fast times well under 1:20.41.
The following day, Antía Chamosa headlines the women’s 20 km walk, set to begin at 7:10 a.m., with María Pérez from Granada returning as the two-time European 20 km walking champion and Tokyo fourth-placer. Pérez’s challenge is to stay within striking distance of Liu Hong of China, who has a bronze from the event in Tokyo and a strong season ahead.
Jacinto Garzón’s protege posted the best mark of the year, a personal best of 1:25:30, closely followed by Peru’s world champion Kimberly García León (1:26:40) and China’s Jiayu Yang (1:26:41). Veteran Liu Hong and Italian Olympic champion Antonella Palmisano, along with Colombian Sandra Lorena Arenas, are among the athletes to watch as the race unfolds.
35km walk
María Pérez also targets the 35-kilometer walk, scheduled for Thursday, the 24th, at 7:00 a.m. The event comes after World Athletics announced the new world record mark set at Podebrady in May, highlighting the ongoing shift away from the historic 50 km distance. The move has reshaped how experts assess long-distance race strategy and specialization for road walkers.
Spain’s squad remains strong in the long-distance walks, with María Pérez and others ready to test the field against current champions such as García León and a host of international podium contenders. The challenge extends to the 50-kilometer legacy, now replaced by a more compact program, as teams adapt to the new world order of walking events and competitive scheduling.
In the 50- and 20-kilometer programs, Spain fields a notable lineup for the road events, including Álvaro Martín in the 35 km and Miguel Ángel López in the 35 km as part of a broader team plan. Martín’s recent times place him among the fastest walkers this season, with a strong lead over rivals from Asia and Europe.
1,500 and ‘twice’ Katir
The men’s 1500 meters, a staple of Spanish track success, continues to attract attention with Katir entering the field for multiple events. This hallmark Spanish distance program features a mix of established medalists and rising stars, with Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Adel Mechaal among the notable competitors. The Norwegian Ingebrigtsen remains among the favorites for gold, yet the competition across the pace-heavy middle-distance events remains wide open. Fellow contenders include Mario García Romo, Yared Nuguse of the United States, Abel Kipsang, and Timothy Cheruiyot, all capable of reshaping the podium on race night.
The men’s 5,000 meters will also draw deep fields, with Katir aiming to double up against a robust international lineup that includes Ethiopian, Ugandan, and Kenyan athletes who have shown recent form. The European and global champions, alongside seasoned internationals, push the pace at the night end of the program as strategies vary between slow tactical races and fast final laps.
Katir plans a bold double, facing the current universal and European champion Ingebrigtsen in the 5,000 meters. The field also features Ethiopian and Kenyan challengers, with a few national opponents adding to the depth. The presence of a spirited Spaniard, refreshed by recent national form and improved endurance work, adds intrigue to the tactical and strategic battles anticipated in both events.
There is discussion about potential medal options across the women’s four-by-one hundred meter relay, even with some familiar faces remaining absent. The sprint relay lineup is still being finalized, with optimism about competitive performances from Spain’s sprinters. In the field events, the Catalan Jaime Guerra’s vertical leap offers a glimpse of the depth in field events, though he still has some distance to cover to be ranked among the all-time best.
In Budapest, Spain’s plan mixes veteran leadership with young talent across the distance events and the walking disciplines, aiming to secure podium finishes while building experience for future championships. The narrative is one of resilience and competitive depth rather than a single standout favorite, reflecting the shift in global athletics where teams must balance tradition with the evolving event program and the emergence of new talents across continents.