Sofia Santacreu
{{Short description|Spanish athlete (born 2006)}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Sofia Santacreu
| image =
| caption =
| full_name =
| nationality = Spanish
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2006|2|7|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Barcelona, Spain
| height =
| weight =
| country = {{flagicon|SPA}} Spain
| sport = Athletics
| event = Race Walking
| pb =
| medaltemplates= {{Medal|Sport|Women's athletics}}
{{Medal|Country|{{ESP}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|World Team Championships}}
{{MedalBronze|2024 Antalya|10 km walk}}
{{Medal|Gold|2024 Antalya|10 km walk (team)}}
{{Medal|Competition|European U20 Championships}}
{{Medal|Gold|2023 Jerusalem|10,000m walk}}{{Medal|Competition|European U18 Championships}}
{{Medal|Gold|2022 Jerusalem|5000 metres walk}}
}}
Sofia Santacreu (born 7 February 2006) is a Spanish race walker and author. She has won European titles at U18 and U20 championships.{{cite web|url=https://worldathletics.org/athletes/spain/sofia-santacreu-14970539| title=Sofia Santacreu|website=World Athletics|accessdate=18 May 2025}}
Early life
She was born in Barcelona where she attended the French Lyceum, graduating in 2024. She started athletics at the age of 11 years-old after many years of ballet.
Career
She was coached as a youngster by Sergio Ezquerro. In 2021, she broke the Spanish under-16 record for the 5000m race walk previously set by Mari Cruz Díaz. She won the gold medal in the 5000 metres race walk at the 2022 European Athletics U18 Championships in Jerusalem, Israel at the age of 16 years-old.{{cite web|url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7147631?eventId=10229641|website=World Athlstics|accessdate=18 May 2025|title= European Athletics U18 Championships|date=4 July 2022}}{{cite web|url= https://atletismorfea.es/federacion/communication-hub/noticias/sofia-santacreu-nacida-para-marchar|website=Atletismorfea.es|accessdate=18 May 2025|title= Sofía Santacreu, born to march|date=Oct 20, 2022|first=Emeterio|last=Valiente}}
In July 2023, she broke the Spanish U18 5000m record set in 1992 by María Vasco, as she won the Spanish U18 title in Gijon.{{cite web|url= https://atletismorfea.es/federacion/communication-hub/noticias/sofia-santacreu-record-de-espana-de-5000m-marcha-y-lider|website=Atletismorfea.es|accessdate=18 May 2025|title= Sofía Santacreu, Spanish record holder in the 5000m walk and world leader|date=10 July 2023}} She won the gold medal in the 10,000 metres at the 2023 European Athletics U20 Championships in Jerusalem, Israel, despite being the third youngest of the 26 race walkers entered. She won with a time of 45:59.76, a new Spanish U20 record time.{{cite web|url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7147654?eventId=10229639 |website=World Athlstics|accessdate=18 May 2025|title= European Athletics U20 Championships|date=7 August 2023}} {{cite web|url= https://atletismorfea.es/federacion/communication-hub/noticias/sofia-santacreu-nacida-para-marchar|website=Atletismorfea.es|accessdate=18 May 2025|title= Sofia Santacreu returns to reign in Jerusalem|date=9 August 2023}}
She sustained an injury in her tibialis in November 2023 and her training regime was seriously hampered until March 2024 when she could resume full training. That month, she set a new personal best of 45:25 over 10km in Valencia.{{cite web|url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7206606?eventId=10229547|website=World Athletics|accessdate=18 May 2025|title= International Race Walking Mixed Relay|date=10 March 2024}} The following month, she competed at the 2024 World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya, winning bronze in the U20 race and gold in the team event.{{cite web|url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7199325?eventId=10229547|website=World Athletics|accessdate=18 May 2025|title= World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships|date=21 April 2024}}{{cite web|title=Santacreu and Meilán dream of joint Spanish success in Lima|date=26 June 2024| website=World Athletics|accessdate=18 May 2025|url= https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-u20-championships/world-athletics-u20-championships-7180313/news/feature/santacreu-meilan-spanish-race-walk-world-u20-lima}} That year, Santacreu left her long-term coach Sergio Ezquerro and started training with Alejandro Aragoneses, coach to fellow Spanish race walker Paul McGrath. Competing for Joventut Atlètica Sabadell (JAS) she was second at the Spanish U20 championships in the 5km walk in 22:37.39, 18 seconds behind the Galician Aldara Meilán who set a new championship record.{{cite web|url= https://radiosabadell.fm/noticia/doble-medalla-plata-jas-campionat-espanya-sub20|website=Radiosabadell.fm|accessdate=18 May 2025|first= Paul|last=Viruri|date=30 July 2024|title=Double silver medal of the JAS at the Spanish Under-20 Championship}}
In May 2025, she won the women's U20 10,000m race at the European Race Walking Team Championships in the Czech Republic.{{cite web|url= https://worldathletics.org/competition/calendar-results/results/7173258?eventId=10229547
|title= European Race Walking Team Championships|website=World Athletics|accessdate=18 May 2025|date=18 May 2025}}
Personal life
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Santacreu, Sofia}}
Category:Spanish female race walkers