Natalia Romero (Spanish athlete)
{{short description|Spanish runner}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Natalia Romero
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Natalia Romero Franco
| nationality = Spanish
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|11|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Jaén, Spain
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = 171 cm
| weight = 59 kg
| sport = Track and Field
}}
Natalia Romero Franco (born 17 November 1988) is a Spanish runner. She is a multiple time national champion over 400 metres and 800 metres. She competed over 800 metres at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Career
Romero was a 400 metres runner, and a double national champion indoors over 400m, who retrained as an 800 metres runner under the guidance of Pedro Jiménez, a professor of sports training methodology at the Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid.{{Cite web |url=https://bestfitnessnews.net/news-the-culprit-of-natalia-romeros-miracle-the-world-belongs-to-crazy-people/ |title=News : The culprit of Natalia Romero's miracle: 'The world belongs to crazy people' |website=BestFitnessNews.net |date=30 July 2021 |access-date=2 August 2021 |archive-date=2 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802183156/https://bestfitnessnews.net/news-the-culprit-of-natalia-romeros-miracle-the-world-belongs-to-crazy-people/ |url-status=dead}} Romero won her first national title over 800 metres at the Spanish Athletics Championships in 2019.{{Cite web |url=https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/spain/natalia-romero-14260565 |title=Natalia ROMERO |work=World Athletics |access-date=2 August 2021 |archive-date=2 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802190159/https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/spain/natalia-romero-14260565 |url-status=live}}
Romero was named University Sportswoman of the Year in Spain in 2009. Romero was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis due to excessive use of a treadmill during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.
She won the 800 metres Spanish national title again at the 2021 Spanish Athletics Championships. She subsequently made her Olympic debut at the delayed [[Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's 800 metres|2020
Olympic Games]] in Tokyo, Japan in July 2021, competing over 800 metres, at the age of 33 years-old.{{cite web|url= https://www.rtve.es/deportes/20210730/tokio-2021-atletismo-espanol-natalia-romero-lois-maikel-sergio-fernandez-maria-isabel-perez/2143440.shtml|website=rtve.ed|accessdate=5 April 2025|title= Natalia Romero, in the 800-meter semi-finals|language=Spanish|date=30 July 2021}} She ran a personal best, and Balearic area record, of 2:01.16 in her qualifying heat to reach the semi-finals.{{Cite web |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/result-women-s-800m-rnd1-000600-.htm |title=Athletics - Women's 800m - Round 1 - Heat 6 Results |work=Tokyo 2020 Olympics |publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games |access-date=2021-08-02 |archive-date=2021-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730022020/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/result-women-s-800m-rnd1-000600-.htm |url-status=dead}} In the semi-final, Romero ran just outside that for a time or 2:01.52, finishing eighth.{{Cite web |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/result-women-s-800m-sfnl-000200-.htm |title=Athletics - Women's 800m - Semi-Final 2 Results |work=Tokyo 2020 Olympics |publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games |access-date=2021-08-02 |archive-date=2021-08-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802183526/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/result-women-s-800m-sfnl-000200-.htm |url-status=dead}}
Personal life
From Jaén, Andalusia, she later moved to Mallorca on the Balearic Islands.{{cite web|date=30 July 2021|first=Fernando|last=Fernandez|website=Ultimahora.es|title= Natalia Romero advances to the 800m semifinals with a personal best and a Balearic Islands record|url=https://www.ultimahora.es/deportes/juegos-olimpicos-tokio-2020/2021/07/30/1288525/atletismo-natalia-romero-semifinales-800-metros.html|accessdate=5 April 2025}} She has a PHD in physiotherapy, and is a professor in physiotherapy at the University of the Balearic Islands. In 2023, with colleagues from the university, she took a leading role in the launch the ACTITUD project, designed to help athletes learn to care for their pelvic floor.{{cite web |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1349264-romero-natalia.htm |title=Natalia Romero |work=Tokyo 2020 Olympics |publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games |access-date=2 August 2021|archive-date=2 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210802183154/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1349264-romero-natalia.htm |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|website=Marca|date=20 May 2023|title= Natalia Romero: "More than 50% of female athletes have pelvic floor problems."|url= https://www.marca.com/radio/2023/05/20/6467c009e2704ea2988b459d.html|first=Natalie|last=Friere|accessdate=5 April 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{World Athletics}}
- {{Olympics.com profile}}
- {{Olympedia}}
- {{COE profile|id1=5209*&DEPORTISTA=3707*}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Romero, Natalia}}
Category:Spanish female middle-distance runners
Category:Olympic athletes for Spain
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Category:20th-century Spanish women
Category:21st-century Spanish sportswomen
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