In a dramatic turn of events at the European Athletics Championships held at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Spanish race walker Laura García-Caro lost her medal chance after a premature celebration allowed her Ukrainian competitor to overtake her just meters before the finish line.
According to reports from CNN and ETtoday, 29-year-old García-Caro, draped in the Spanish flag, began celebrating with jubilant fist pumps when she was only 2-3 meters away from the finish line of the women's 20km race walk. However, in a shocking twist, Ukrainian athlete Lyudmila Olyanovska seized the moment to surge ahead, claiming the bronze medal.
The moment was captured on video, showing García-Caros expression shift from joy to shock as Olyanovska crossed the finish line before her, sparking widespread discussion online.
Post-race, García-Caro expressed her disappointment: "I suffered in the first part of the race but managed to recover. In the last 10 meters, I thought I had it, but I didn't. Now, I must accept what happened and heal my heart."
The race saw Italian competitors Antonella Palmisano and Valentina Trapletti take the gold and silver medals, respectively. The bronze went to 31-year-old Olyanovska, who dedicated her medal to Ukraine. She shared the challenges of training amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine: I was very tired in the last kilometre and final meters, but I wanted to win this medal for my country. With the war, we train under very difficult conditions. I don't know if my five-year-old son saw me compete today because we lack basic infrastructure there's no electricity, internet, or lights in many places.
This incident echoes a similar occurrence at the 2023 Asian Games during the men's 3000m roller skating relay. There, a South Korean athlete prematurely celebrated what he thought was a sure victory, only to be overtaken by a Taiwanese competitor, losing the gold by a mere 0.01 seconds.
