Five athletes from Trops-Cueva de Nerja competed for Spain at the U18 European Championships held in Rieti (Italy). Cristóbal Díaz achieved the best position, finishing sixth in the discus throw.
The Trops-Cueva de Nerja Club had a remarkable performance at the U18 European Athletics Championships, held in the Italian town of Rieti. Five athletes from the Málaga club defended the colours of Spain in various events, with discus thrower Cristóbal Díaz being the standout by reaching the sixth position in Europe.
Díaz, who had already qualified with a throw of 54.08 metres, improved in the final to 56.64 metres, a mark that earned him the sixth place on the continent. The young athlete demonstrated consistency and the ability to improve at the crucial moment, establishing himself among the best European specialists of his age.
Raquel Lobo, a long jump specialist, also reached the final after qualifying with a jump of 5.86 metres. In the battle for medals, the Trops-Cueva de Nerja athlete achieved a best attempt of 5.72 metres, placing her in the tenth position in Europe, a result that reflects her progression in the category.
In the 400 metres, Mario Herrera advanced from the first round with a time of 48.03 seconds and reached the semi-finals, where he clocked 47.80 seconds. This mark placed him in the eleventh position overall, just narrowly missing out on the final.
Triple jumper Sergio López had a good competition, reaching 14.76 metres, but fell just one centimetre short of the final, finishing thirteenth. Meanwhile, sprinter Lucía Vaca advanced from the first round of the 100 metres with 11.91 seconds and reached the semi-finals, where she recorded 11.95 seconds, enough for twenty-first place. Additionally, she was part of the Spanish 4x100 metres relay team that secured sixth place with a time of 2:08.40.
The performance of these five young athletes represents a significant boost for athletics in the province of Málaga and, in particular, for Trops-Cueva de Nerja, which continues to nurture talents with international potential. The Nerja club, with a solid youth programme, has seen its athletes compete at the highest European level, an experience that will undoubtedly benefit their sporting future.
The U18 European Championships brought together the best young athletes from across the continent, and the representation from Trops-Cueva de Nerja has made it clear that grassroots work is paying off. The next important event for these athletes will be the Spanish Championships in their category, where they will aim to improve their marks and continue adding successes.
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