Racewalker’s Premature Celebration Costs Medal in European Championships
A Spanish racewalker discovered the pitfalls of premature celebration the hard way when she lost her medal position in a dramatic finish at the 2024 European Athletics Championships.
Laura Garcia-Caro, competing in the women’s 20km race walk, seemed assured of a bronze medal as she approached the finish line, wrapped in the Spanish flag and beaming with joy. Confident of her third-place finish, she raised her hand in triumph just moments too soon.
Broadcast footage captured the unexpected twist: as Garcia-Caro celebrated, Ukraine’s Lyudmila Olyanovska surged ahead, snatching the bronze from under her nose.
The look on Garcia-Caro‘s face was a mix of disbelief and disappointment as she realized she had been overtaken at the last second.
The conclusion of the race has sparked controversy, as keen-eyed viewers noted that both athletes appeared to momentarily have both feet off the ground—essentially running, which is against race walking rules.
Despite the apparent violations, no penalties have been enforced. Olyanovska’s third-place finish stands, while Garcia-Caro was left contemplating a lesson in finishing strong before celebrating.
Racewalker’s Premature Celebration Costs Medal in European Championships
