Mario García (runner)

García hails from Villar de Gallimazo, a small town in Spain with a population of 200.{{Cite web |last=Valiente |first=Emeterio |date=12 July 2023 |title=Garcia Romo poised to make 1500m history |url=https://worldathletics.org/athletes/spain/mario-garc%C3%ADa-14691570 |access-date=7 January 2024 |website=worldathletics.org}} He relocated to the United States in 2018 to attend the University of Mississippi, pursuing a degree in chemistry. While at the university, he competed in the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). His older brother, Jamie, also participated in NCAA athletics for Eastern Kentucky University.

While at the University of Mississippi, García was a 7-time NCAA Division I All-American and 6-time Southeastern Conference champion in cross country and track.{{cite web |title=Mario García Romo |url=https://olemisssports.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/mario-garcia-romo/3630 |access-date=18 July 2022 |work=olemisssports.com |publisher=University of Mississippi}} He won a national title in the indoor mile at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, running 4:07.54 to narrowly edge Morgan Beadlescomb for the win.{{Cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Robert |last2=Gault |first2=Jonathan |date=12 March 2022 |title=2022 NCAA Indoor Day 2 Men's Recap: Abdihamid Nur Completes The Double, Front-Runners Excel As Texas Wins The Team Title |url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2022/03/2022-ncaa-indoor-day-2-mens-recap-abdihamid-nur-completes-the-double-front-runners-excel-as-texas-wins-the-team-title/ |access-date=7 January 2024 |website=LetsRun.com |language=en}} He was runner-up in the 1500 m at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. While still a student, García was also the silver medalist in the 1500 m at the 2021 European Athletics U23 Championships.

File:EKD10469 1500m series (52341840468).jpg]]

After graduating college, García relocated to Boulder, Colorado to train under coach Dathan Ritzenhein as part of the On Athletics Club.{{cite web |title=On Welcomes Four of NCAA's Fastest Talents to its Global Athlete Roster |url=https://press.on-running.com/on-welcomes-four-of-ncaas-fastest-talents-to-its-global-athlete-roster |access-date=28 July 2022 |work=press.on-running.com |date=22 June 2022 |publisher=On (company)}} At the Spanish National Championships, García won the 1500 meters in 3:35.52, qualifying him for the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where he finished fourth in the final.{{Cite web |date=20 July 2022 |title=Mario Garcia Romo Finishes Fourth in World Championships 1500-Meter Final |url=https://olemisssports.com/news/2022/7/20/track-and-field-mario-garcia-romo-finishes-fourth-in-world-championships-1500-meter-final |access-date=7 January 2024 |website=Ole Miss Athletics |language=en}} Later that year, he earned a bronze medal in the 1500 m at the European Athletics Championships.

On the 15 June, García set a personal best of 3:29.18 in the 1500 m at the Bislett Grames to finish fifth. The following month, he placed third in the Spanish Championships, qualifying him for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. On 23 August, he finished sixth in the 1500 final of these championships in 3:30.26. The following month, on 8 September, García set a national record over 2000 m with his time of 4:49.85.{{Cite web |last=Gault |first=Jonathan |date=8 September 2023 |title=Jakob Ingebrigtsen Runs 4:43.13 to Break Hicham El Guerrouj's 2000m World Record |url=https://www.letsrun.com/news/2023/09/jakob-ingebrigtsen-runs-443-13-to-break-hicham-el-guerroujs-2000m-world-record/ |access-date=7 January 2024 |website=LetsRun.com |language=en}} The Spaniard ran his last track race of the year at the Prefontaine Classic, contesting the mile. He finished fourth in 3:47.69.

All information from World Athletics profile.

Outdoor{{iaaf name|14691570}}

• 800 m: 1:46.90 (Oxford, MS 2022)
• 1500 m: 3:29.18 (Oslo 2023)
• Mile: 3:47.69 (Eugene, OR)
• 2000 m: 4:49.85 (Brussels, Belgium 2023) NR
• 3000 m: 7:47.56 (Nashville 2022)
• 5000 m: 13:56.69 (Memphis 2020)

Indoor

• 1500 m: 3:35.98 (New York City 2023)
• Mile: 3:51.79 (New York 2023) NR
• 3000 m: 7:34.74 (Boston, MA 2023)

Statistics sourced from athlete's profile on Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS).[https://www.tfrrs.org/athletes/6901779/Mississippi/Mario_Garcia_Romo.html Mario Garcia Romo's Ole Miss XC & Track Results] TFRRS

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{{Reflist|3}}

• {{World Athletics|spain/mario-garca-14691570}}
• [https://www.rfeacontent.es/biografias/hombres/garciamario.pdf Mario García] at RFEA {{in lang|es}}
• {{Olympics.com profile|mario-garcia|Mario Garcia}}
• [https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/mario-garcia_1904126 Mario Garcia] at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics
• [https://esp.coe.es/atleta/mario-garcia-romo/334402/ Mario García – COE – Paris 2024] {{in lang|es}}

{{On Athletics Club}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garcia, Mario}}

Category:1999 births

Category:Living people

Category:Spanish male middle-distance runners

Category:Sportspeople from Salamanca

Category:Ole Miss Rebels men's track and field athletes

Category:European Athletics Championships medalists

Category:University of Mississippi alumni

Category:United States collegiate record holders in athletics (track and field)

Category:NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships winners

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Category:Olympic athletes for Spain

Category:21st-century Spanish sportsmen