Haitz Urrestarazu and Urko Etxebeste in Avilés.
Bronze medal for Haitz Urrestarazu in the Spanish U16 championship, good performance by Urko Etxebeste and injury to Uxue López
Sensational climax to this first and most important part of the outdoor athletic season, which once again witnesses and certifies a great performance by the Urdiña athletic representation in the last individual Spanish championship, the one held for the under 16 category on last weekend in Avilés.
In this Asturian town, Haitz Urrestarazu from Ataunda won the second medal in a middle-distance event in the 1,000m, after 39 years of the club’s history. The first, it is worth remembering, was awarded in 1983 by Joseba Bolinaga in 800m. Haitz starred in a very intelligent, daring and well-read final in the 1000 meters and managed to be third in Spain with a time of 2:34.56, which is also the new Gipuzkoa record for the kilometer in the category.
A mythical distance, that who else and who least ever in life has had to run in his youth. Very typical of physical education class.
In the qualifying round Urrestarazu was third in his semifinal with 2.41.52 and of the 35 participating athletes he got into the final of the 12 best, which was undoubtedly his main objective. Already in the very final, Haitz, in a very difficult first 180m to get into the race, achieved that purpose and often got behind the two great favorites who had a frantic pace. In those first 600 meters the three opened a good gap with respect to the others, an advantage that Haitz knew how to take advantage of and manage in the last 400m to reach the finish line and get the bronze medal with 2.34.56, improving the previous record from Gipuzkoa of 2:34.81 by Martin Hernández from Mintxeta, achieved in Tolosa in 2016, as well as his personal best of 2:37.75 in more than 3 seconds.
For his part, Beasaindarra Urko Etxebeste participated in the final, direct of the 1500m obstacles. His purpose was to be close to the podium, since his Gipuzkoa record of 4.25.16 was the third best mark of the participants, yes, almost a dozen were in a handkerchief.
Urko participated in a bestial final, which went wild from the beginning, with a devilish rhythm that instead of decreasing was increasing. Start in which the Txindoki At athlete stayed far from the front trying to manage a good finish and perhaps expecting some faltering from those ahead, which already existed, but few, reaching the finish line in a good way (not so much for him ) seventh position in a time of 4.30.86, but with the winner beating the Spanish record in 4.14.21 and the second making the third best mark in history.
A good end to what is a long season for Urko, who was also seventh on the indoor track in the 3000m, apart from being the Spanish cross champion with the Euskadi team, third in Spain in team cross like Haitz and record holder of 1500m hurdles.
The sprinter from Beasaindarra Uxue López will not have a good memory of her first Spanish championship since in the 100-meter qualifying rounds on Saturday morning she injured her hamstrings and could not even finish the test, a pity, the only injured of the 31 participants, in any case, Uxue, is a great sprinter of the future and will experience more championships in Spain.
With this result, Urdiña athletics in this 2022, achieves the historical fact of achieving a medal in all the Spanish outdoor championships in the different categories in which it has participated; sub 16 in Avilés, bronze in 1000m for Haitz Urrestarazu, sub 18 in Jerez de la Frontera, bronze in shot put for Aimar Alustiza, sub 20 in Torrent, gold in high jump for Danel Pérez and silver in 3000m obstacles for Iraia Mendia , under 23 in Santander gold in high jump for Nora Tobar (Atlético de SS) and absolute in Nerja, bronze in shot put for Ane Torres and silver in high jump for Nora Tobar (Atlético SS).
On Saturday in the Cantabrian town of Castro Urdiales and within the Cantabria championship, the Ordizi native from Atlético SS Paula de Juan participated in the 400m hurdles event, where she was second and managed to beat, once again, her absolute Gipuzkoa record with 59.15, improving the 59.26 that she achieved when she was first in the Spanish national team championship with Euskadi, in Granollers on July 2.
In free participation tests, on Tuesday in Donostia, Nora Tobar (Atlético SS) surpassed the bar by 1.73 in the high jump.
For today the agenda announces popular tests; the Loiola neighborhood race and the Amarako herri krossa in Donostia, and the Roberto Cabrejas in Andoain.