Spanish speedwalker Laura Garcia-Caro on Friday thought she had a podium finish in the bag. Instead, she learned a valuable lesson on celebrating too early.
Garcia-Caro appeared to be just moments away from placing third in the European Athletics Championships race held at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy.
The 29-year-old began slowing down and celebrating during the final stretch of the competition’s first medal event. As Garcia-Caro pumped her fist in the air, Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Olyanovska snuck past her just a few meters away from the finish line of the 20-kilometer race.
The horrified look on Garcia-Caro’s face said it all.
NEW: Spanish speed walker 'finds out' after premature celebration during the women’s 20km race walk at the first medal event of the European Championships.
Oof.
Laura Garcia-Caro was seen smiling, punching the air and sticking out her tongue.
The celebration was short-lived as… pic.twitter.com/y586vfdtBG
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 8, 2024
Garcia-Caro, who finished fourth, expressed her grief after the race.
“I am quite disappointed,” Garcia-Caro said, via Reuters. “The first part of the race I suffered, but (I did) recover and in the last 10 metres I thought I had it but I didn’t. Now I have to assimilate [what happened] and heal my heart.”
Italians Antonella Palmisano and Valentina Trapletti won gold and silver, respectively. Olyanovska earned the bronze medal after finishing about 11 seconds behind Trapletti.
