Laura Garcia-Caro, a Spanish race walker, was celebrating what she believed to be a bronze medal finish in the women’s 20km race walk at the European Athletics Championship in Rome when her excitement quickly changed to confusion. Just before the finish line, in a heartbreaking twist of fortune, she was no longer in third place. She had been overtaken.
When Garcia-Caro noticed Lyudmila Olyanovska of Ukraine was gaining ground next to her, her gleeful anticipation of winning a medal quickly changed to shock. In a spectacular finish that stunned onlookers, Olyanovska edged past Garcia-Caro with just two metres remaining.
“It disappoints me a lot. I struggled throughout the first 10 metres of the race, but I was able to rebound, and in the final 10 metres, I believed I had it, but I wasn’t,” Laura Garcia-Caro told the media, reported news.sky.com
Athlete from Ukraine wins despite the invasion.
At the age of 31, Olyanovska triumphed over a turbulent background that included a four-year doping ban from 2015 to 2019. Her current triumph is especially significant in light of Ukraine’s heroic fight against the Russian invasion.
She was overcome with emotion after her victory and emphasized her unwavering commitment to winning for her country. Even when exhaustion overcame her in the last seconds, she never wavered in her will to serve her country, embodying the spirit of perseverance in the face of difficulty.
Her preparation for the competition was characterized by unrelenting hurdles, given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, despite the chaos, perseverance paid off, leading to a well-merited bronze medal.
The Italians Antonella Palmisano and Valentina Trapletti eventually wore the glimmer of gold and silver on their shoulders, having persevered through hardship and reached the finish line with an unflinching commitment.