The world champion in both the 20- and 35-kilometer race walks, Álvaro Martín, has declared his retirement from international athletics at the age of thirty. He recently had great success in the Olympics in Paris, where he won gold in the marathon race walk mixed relay with fellow champion María Pérez and a bronze medal in the 20-kilometer race walk.
Born in the little Badajoz village of Llerena, Martín relocated to Madrid at the age of sixteen in order to focus on his sports career. At the age of barely 18, he made his Olympic debut in London, demonstrating his talent right away. He has competed consistently throughout his career, taking part in four Olympic Games, five World Championships, and three European Championships year since he began.
Acquiring degrees in both political science and law, Martín declared his retirement on Saturday following his receipt of the highest accolade in Extremadura, Spain. He was humble about his accomplishments during an emotional speech to a packed house, saying, “I doubt I was destined to become a world or Olympic champion.” He stated that influencing others is more important than winning, emphasizing that success came from hard effort, sacrifice, and a little bit of luck. Inspiring future generations, he thinks, will be his path from a tiny town to sports achievement while juggling education.
Martín acknowledged in his moving speech that his competitive career came to an end during the Olympic Games in Paris. He thanked José Antonio Carrillo, his coach, and his spouse for their unwavering support. He expressed his wish to end his career on a positive note while expressing conflicting emotions, indicating that he was prepared to take on new challenges outside of sports.
