Spanish athletics has been mourning the death of promising long-jumper Julieta Gallego, who was aged 24 and among the victims of a devastating train collision in Toledo province.
At least 69 people were killed when two high-speed trains collided near the town of Orda. The trains were travelling on the route linking Madrid with southern Andalusia, in the second fatal accident on the line in less than a year.
Spanish athletics federation pays tribute
The Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA) expressed its “deep sadness” and offered its full support to Gallego’s family and the wider athletics community in an official statement published on its X account on Thursday. The statement was reported by Reuters.
“The Spanish athletics family shares its deep sorrow at the death of Julieta Gallego, an athlete from AD Sprint, following the tragic train accident in Orda,” the federation said.
“We offer our full support to her family, friends and club team-mates.”
Gallego represented AD Sprint in Madrid and regularly competed in Spanish club championships. She recorded a personal best of 5.90 metres in the long jump at a meeting in Antequera in 2023.
Her death has prompted tributes from athletics officials, who described her as an emerging athlete whose career had been cut short.
RFEA president Raul Chapado told Spanish newspaper ABC: “There are tragedies that strike at the heart of the athletics family. Today, the sporting community mourns the death of Julieta, who had a promising life ahead of her, unjustly cut short.”
