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With just ten days to go before the opening of the 19th European Championships in Athletics in Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden, the Spanish federation is making the final arrangements for the largest team they have ever sent to a European Championships: 78 athletes.
"We are aiming to equal or do better than our results in Münich four years ago," said the President of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation José Maria Odriozola in a prepared statement.
The team of 43 men and 25 women will not only be large, but it will be potent. At the last championships in 2002, Spain finished third in the medal table with six golds. Five of Spain's six individual gold medalists will be there to defend their titles including José Manuel "Chema" Martínez in the 10,000m, Antonio "Penti" Jiménez in the 3000m steeplechase, and Marta Domínguez in the women's 5000m.
In 2002 Martínez prevailed by a scant 22/100ths of a second in a thrilling sprint finish against Dieter Baumann of Germany. This year, his most likely rival for victory will be his compatriot, Juan Carlos de la Ossa, the top European finisher in last summer's IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
"I intend to make it a fast race, certainly below 28 minutes," said de la Ossa, who has a personal best time of 27:27.80. He's a three-time medalist at the European Cup, including two gold medals.
Domínguez also won in a squeaker in Münich, edging Irish legend Sonia O'Sullivan 15:14.76 to 15:14.85. This year, she'll have to beat the petite Norwegian, Susanne Wigene, one of only two European women who have broken 15 minutes this season (the other is Britain's Jo Pavey).
The 19th European Championships in Athletics begins on Sunday, August 6 at Göteborg's Ullevi Stadium, and concludes on Sunday, August 13.
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