No one told Miguel Baidal from Cárnicas Serrano that trust had vanished. Yet the Alicante athlete had sensed it for months. Although triathlon had become his priority, it was not the 17-year-old who surprised everyone by winning the Spanish Cross Country Championships that initially inspired him. Between feeling somewhat sidelined and enduring consecutive injuries while juggling university studies in engineering, the past months were heavy. When he crossed the finish line of the 5,000m final at the Spanish U-23 Championship in Santander, emotions overflowed into tears of relief and joy. Baidal had earned the Spanish title once more, three years and four months after his previous triumph in Cáceres.
Back in Alicante, Baidal wrapped up a video call with a teacher and prepared to use the summer for another year of study. The 21-year-old biomedical engineering student plans to start his fourth year in September, hoping to finish the next summer with a stronger foundation.
Victory on the Ruth Beitia track in Santander was not just a stroke of luck. It came on the back of a remarkable late surge, as rivals faltered on the final stretch. This time the opposite happened: Baidal, who had aimed for the podium and believed Adam Maijó would take gold, finished third and surprised all the contenders for the title.
Still under 23, Baidal reflects on his journey in the sport. “Four years ago I joined Club Atletisme Crevillent to pursue high-performance running and gain college opportunities. We finished second in Spain as a club and I won the individual title. The following year I claimed the Spanish U-20 cross title. Those experiences didn’t change my mind, but they showed me I had options beyond triathlon. The pandemic began in 2020, and in the first month I decided to switch paths and pause triathlon mid-season. I took time to think and realized running could be my main focus alongside pursuing engineering. That’s when I chose athletics as the priority.”
There were many nights spent doing pool sets at 10 p.m. It became clear that path wasn’t ideal for someone so young. Some teammates left school to turn pro in triathlon, yet Baidal wanted to remain an engineer and still chase medals. “Triathlon demanded several hours I didn’t have. You can win today and lose tomorrow. No matter how fit you are, there are countless variables and you end up investing hours for relatively little reward.”
That choice also meant sacrifices in swimming, which cost him a lot. Running and cycling have always been his strengths; he even trekked to the Pyrenees to witness Tour stages. Despite a later track debut, he was once viewed as tactically unsure and weaker on the final lap because of inexperience.
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Luck did not always favor him. The focus on athletics brought injuries, and the switch came with a price. Yet pushing his mileage higher each week paid off. In the summer of 2021 he battled bone edema in his foot. Recovery was costly, and setbacks followed. “In January and February I suffered from inflammation in the adductor and quadriceps area. Running became painful.”
Nevertheless, the athlete from Cárnicas Serrano overcame every obstacle and began training properly again in March. On July 3, just a week before the national championship, Gandía was declared autonomous champion of the Community of Valencia at 1,500 meters in 3:47.06. He maintained a fast pace and, instead of resting on the afternoon, completed a rigorous 200-meter series. Those moments renewed his faith.
Seven days later he headed to Santander and discovered that he had become a long-distance runner with a much stronger finish. “I changed my mindset, and in the final I ran the last 400 meters in roughly 57 or 58 seconds. I was thrilled to see my name at the top. I remembered everything that happened—injuries, loss of confidence, the hurdles of getting into races—and all the emotions burst forth.”
In truth, the victory seemed to belong to him all along. Upon returning from Santander, a dry throat and discomfort led to a positive COVID-19 test. “I didn’t catch it during the lockdown, yet I tested positive now. I hope it doesn’t cost me too much because I’ve seen how much pain athletes like Andreu Blanes have endured, and it’s a harsh thing.”
The result and the triumph at the Spanish U23 Championship restored confidence and motivation for both Baidal and his coach, Adrian Peris. “It helped a lot. I don’t have a large training group, but I’m among the first athletes and I train with Moha Reda and former triathlon friends who ride with me on off days. Young coaches deserve the chance to prove themselves, and Adrián stays up to date with the latest training methods. I plan to race under 23 next year again and push to become a European competitor, risking everything,” said the representative of Cárnicas Serrano.