Sofia Santacreu
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| Nationality | Spanish | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 7 February 2006 Barcelona, Spain | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  Spain | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event | Race Walking | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Sofia Santacreu (born 7 February 2006) is a Spanish race walker and author. She has won European titles at U18 and U20 championships.[1]
Early life
[edit]She was born in Barcelona where she attended the French Lyceum, graduating in 2024.[2] She started athletics at the age of 11 years-old after many years of ballet.[3]
Career
[edit]She was coached as a youngster by Sergio Ezquerro. In 2021, she broke the Spanish under-16 record for the 5000m race walk previously set by Mari Cruz Díaz. She won the gold medal in the 5000 metres race walk at the 2022 European Athletics U18 Championships in Jerusalem, Israel at the age of 16 years-old.[4][3]
In July 2023, she broke the Spanish U18 5000m record set in 1992 by María Vasco, as she won the Spanish U18 title in Gijon.[5] She won the gold medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2023 European Athletics U20 Championships in Jerusalem, Israel, despite being the third youngest of the 26 race walkers entered. She won with a time of 45:59.76, a new Spanish U20 record time.[6][7]
She sustained an injury in her tibialis in November 2023 and her training regime was seriously hampered until March 2024 when she could resume full training.[2] That month, she set a new personal best of 45:25 over 10km in Valencia.[8][2] The following month, she competed at the 2024 World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya, winning bronze in the U20 race and gold in the team event.[9][2] That year, Santacreu left her long-term coach Sergio Ezquerro and started training with Alejandro Aragoneses, coach to fellow Spanish race walker Paul McGrath.[2] Competing for Joventut Atlètica Sabadell (JAS) she was second at the Spanish U20 championships in the 5km walk in 22:37.39, 18 seconds behind the Galician Aldara Meilán who set a new championship record.[10]
In May 2025, she won the women's U20 10,000m race at the European Race Walking Team Championships in the Czech Republic.[11]
Personal life
[edit]At the age of 14 years-old, she published a book Train with Sofía after a family friend proposed the idea for exercise charts for children admitted to the hospital. The profits of the book have been donated to several social causes.[3][2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Sofia Santacreu". World Athletics. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Santacreu and Meilán dream of joint Spanish success in Lima". World Athletics. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ a b c Valiente, Emeterio (Oct 20, 2022). "Sofía Santacreu, born to march". Atletismorfea.es. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ "European Athletics U18 Championships". World Athlstics. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ "Sofía Santacreu, Spanish record holder in the 5000m walk and world leader". Atletismorfea.es. 10 July 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ "European Athletics U20 Championships". World Athlstics. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ "Sofia Santacreu returns to reign in Jerusalem". Atletismorfea.es. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ "International Race Walking Mixed Relay". World Athletics. 10 March 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ "World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships". World Athletics. 21 April 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ Viruri, Paul (30 July 2024). "Double silver medal of the JAS at the Spanish Under-20 Championship". Radiosabadell.fm. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ "European Race Walking Team Championships". World Athletics. 18 May 2025. Retrieved 18 May 2025.