He brand new world athletics champion on an indoor track, Mariano Garciaboasts of its success in the same way that it demonstrates its simplicity. And so, half jokingly, half seriously, with a mixture of pride and spontaneity, he said that he believes that now in Spain the level of the 1,500 m – the event in which he achieved his last gold – is going to rise and the 800 m level is going to go down without him.
In an interview on RTVE just a few hours after returning from Grandchild (Poland), the Murcian has explained the keys to his victory in this championship, which he did not arrive among the favorites. “I arrived with a mediocre record, but I knew I could improve it. And I didn’t want to go to several rallies to get covered up” to the World Cup, Mariano García said.
The one of Reyllo Cavesalready a veteran, emphasizes those two ideas of mischief and strength when he recounts the development of Sunday’s race, when he set the pace from very early on. “I was ready. I have been a frontrunner all my life and I took risks. Whoever goes first doesn’t usually win unless it is much higher“.
Mariano The Motorcycle García thus became the first athlete in history to win at the World Cups. indoor both in the 800 m – he was champion in Belgrade 2022 – and in the 1,500 m, distance passed last year.
The one who was also European outdoor champion in the 800m has also reflected on that jump, typical of runners who are turning older: “The level in the 800 meters is going to go down in the coming years and the level in the 1,500 m is going to go up. Every time I change, it happens. Look, Before, there were six or seven Spaniards with minimum (for an international championship in the 800 m) and now (at the World Cup in Torun) there were only (Mohamed) Attaoui and (Elvin Josué) Canales.” Why is this? the journalist asks. “Because I have left the event. (The other athletes) They know that when Mariano is there, a quick test comes out because I am frontrunner and they come out more minimal,” he explains.
García makes this comment already thinking about the next objective, the big event of the season, the Birmingham European Outdoor in August. He still does not have the minimum and the competition in Spain will also be great to get a ticket in the considered queen event of the middle distance.
He sleeps with hypoxia and studies himself
Looking a little further ahead, the New Balance athlete, from 28 yearsadmits his desire to finally be able to participate in some Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028 since in the previous ones he did not achieve classification: “I hope to fight for a place in 2028 and close the circle, but we have to go season by season.”
To achieve these goals, Mariano trusts his coach Gabriel Lorente and the support he has in Murcia, particularly since he resides in the renovated high performance center in Los Alcázares and sleep in a hypoxic room, where you achieve some of the benefits of altitude training, but without leaving your region.
A method that he knows very well because it is precisely the object of his final degree project (TFG). And also the subject, since he is using his own clinical data for this academic work.
