Laura Garcia-Caro’s premature celebration ends in heartbreak at the European Athletics Championships

In a dramatic turn of events at the European Athletics Championships, Spain’s Laura Garcia-Caro lost out on a bronze medal in the 20km race walk, after celebrating prematurely just moments before crossing the finish line.

Garcia-Caro, who had been holding third place as she entered the final stretch at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, began waving the Spanish flag and celebrating what she thought was her bronze finish. However, as she was just five metres from the line, Ukraine’s Lyudmila Olyanovska surged past her, leaving the 29-year-old devastated as her premature joy quickly turned to despair.

The moment, which was widely shared on social media, captured the agony of Garcia-Caro as she missed out on a podium finish.

“I am really disappointed,” Garcia-Caro admitted after the race. “I struggled in the early stages, but managed to recover. As I approached the final 10 metres, I thought the bronze was mine, but it wasn’t to be.”

She went on to express the emotional toll of the experience, stating, “Now I need to process what happened and heal my heart.”

Italy’s Antonella Palmisano and Valentina Trapletti claimed gold and silver respectively in a race that saw 35 athletes from 14 countries compete.