1:26:19. That is the ticket with which Maria Perez Garcia has entered the finish line of the 20 km walk this morning in Paris to win the first silver medal of these Olympic Games 2024 for Spain. An athlete who has forged her track record from the facilities of the Valencia Athletics Club, a team she has been part of since 2016.
This centenary club, founded in 1924, is a sports section of Valencia Club de Fútbol and has some of the best athletes in Spain on its roster.
The case of Maria Perez is the most mediatic in the last year, with the achievement of the World Championship in Budapest with double gold medal in 20 and 35 km walk.
The athlete from Granada signed for this club in 2016 from the Cueva de Nerja-UMA club. Since then, he has combined club level trials with national team level trials training in Valencia.
The facilities of the Valencia Athletics Club, formerly known as Valencia Terra i Mar, are located next to the Turia Garden, on the Petxina promenade.