Andres and Malakopoulos excel at L'Hospitalet

Spanish sprinter and Greek long jumper set new world records as traditional international meeting sees return of the public in Spain 12 Apr 2021

A men with prosthetic legs competing in a long jump event observed by a female official

Greece's Stylianos Malakopoulos broke the men's long jump T62 world record during the L'Hospitalet 2021 meeting in Spain

ⒸMiquel Merino-Teo Tovar

By L'Hospitalet LOC and World Para Athletics

Spain’s Sara Andres Barrio and Greece’s Stylianos Malakopoulos were the stars of the 16th edition of the International Meeting of L’Hospitalet held on Saturday (10 April) in Hospitalet de Llobregat near Barcelona, Spain.

Andres broke the women’s 200m T62 world record clocking 28.30, a time 0.56 faster than the previous record established by the Netherlands’ Fleur Jong in 2019. Malakopoulos improved his own world record in the men’s long jump T62 with 6.95m.

“I am super happy to break the world record,” posted the Spanish athlete on her Twitter account.

Although the 200m is not part of the Bydgoszcz 2021 European Championships and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics programme, it is a strong statement about the form of the Spanish sprinter with 50 days to go to the Euros in Poland. Andres also took gold in the women’s 100m (13.51).

Double medallist at the Berlin 2018 European Championships, Malakopoulos was very close to breaking the 7 metre-mark for the first time and will also be a medal contender in Bydgoszcz.

Other strong performances at L’Hospitalet 2021 included Adiaratou Iglesias in the women’s 100m T12 (12.44), Desiree Vila with a season best (3m84) in the women’s long jump T62, Joan Munar in the men’s 200m T12 (23.10), Jose Manuel Quintero in the men’s 400m T54 (54.84) and Sara Martínez in the women’s long jump F12 (5.49m).

In addition, L’Hospitalet 2021 was a first-time for long distance wheelchair racer Rafael Botello (T54) who won the men’s 800m wheelchair race (2:00.47) and, also, for Spanish-based Italian sprinter Davide Morana (T62) who clocked 12.96 in the men’s 100m.

Rio 2016’s Paralympic champion Kim López (F12) was also in action comfortably winning the men’s shot put and discus throw despite the wet conditions, whilst Catalan legend Xavi Porras in the men’s long jump T11 and Colombia’s Anderson Naranjo in the men’s 400m T13 proved to be shaping up nicely for the rest of the season.

The L’Hospitalet Athletic Club had a lot to celebrate on Saturday with victories from members such as Dubai 2019 World Championships medallist Yassine Ouhdadi in the men’s 5000m T13 ith a time of 15’20’’75, Paralympian Mari Carmen Paredes in the women’s 1500m T12, Paula Heras in the women’s shot put F12 and Ivan Rodríguez in the men’s 100m T12.

L’Hospitalet 2021 also saw a successful return of the public in a 50 per cent capacity following the COVID-19 protocols in place. The competition was also streamed live on YouTube for the first time. You can watch again here.

Complete results can be found on the International Meeting of L’Hospitalet website.

* World records subject to ratification by World Para Athletics.