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Exclusive interview: Pol Moya looks ahead to the World Indoor Championships

Written by Daniel Pajuelo on . Posted in Andorra 2025, ATH, Olympic Movement, Summer Sports. No Comments on Exclusive interview: Pol Moya looks ahead to the World Indoor Championships

The Andorran middle-distance runner reflects on his preparation, career and ambitions ahead of his next international challenge

As the World Indoor Championships approach, Andorran middle-distance runner Pol Moya arrives at a key moment in his season, combining experience and strong preparation ahead of one of the most demanding events on the international calendar.

With more than a decade in athletics and appearances at both the Olympic Games and major global competitions, Moya continues to establish himself as one of Andorra’s leading athletes. Following a consistent winter build-up, including altitude training camps and specific performance work, he now looks to translate that preparation into results on the track.

Interview

Tell us about yourself
My name is Pol Moya Betriu. I compete in athletics, mainly middle-distance, with the 1500 metres as my main event and occasionally the 800 metres.

You have a long trajectory in athletics
Yes, I’ve been in athletics for over ten years now. In fact, I was just talking about it yesterday with a teammate—it’s been 10 years since my first World Indoor Championships in Portland 2016.

The most important competitions I’ve taken part in are the Olympic Games in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, which were held in 2021.

How has your preparation been for this World Championships?
This past year of preparation has gone really well. Since September, when pre-season started, we’ve been able to train consistently. Apart from a couple of minor setbacks, we’ve built a strong base and accumulated a lot of kilometres.

We’ve also completed two altitude training camps, one in Andorra and another in Madrid during this final week before the World Championships, where we also worked with a hypoxia chamber. I believe I’m arriving in very good condition, and now we’ll see what we can do.

What does it mean to represent Andorra and compete in events like the GSSE?
For me, taking part in the GSSE and any European or World competition is a great honour, especially representing my country. Every time we wear the Andorran jersey, we carry all our teammates and compatriots with us.

The GSSE are particularly special because, in major international events, we are not many athletes from these countries, but in these Games we come together in large numbers across different sports. It creates a strong sense of unity and team spirit.

What does qualifying for the World Indoor Championships mean to you?
Reaching the World Indoor Championships is something I’m very proud of, as it was my main goal for this winter season. Achieving it shows that we are on the right track and that we’ve accomplished our first major objective of the year.

What are your goals for this competition and the season?
For this World Championships, I have to be realistic. I would love to reach the final, and that’s my goal, but only nine athletes qualify and the level among the 30 competitors is extremely high.

That said, once we step onto the track, I will give everything. I won’t hold anything back and will compete with ambition and confidence to fight for a place in the final. The main objective was to be here, and that’s already achieved—now it’s time to enjoy the experience, and anything more will be a bonus.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, I aim to improve my personal bests in both the 800 and 1500 metres. The main goal is to compete at the European Championships in Birmingham, and potentially the Mediterranean Games, which are still to be confirmed.

What advice would you give to young athletes?
I would tell young athletes to be patient, consistent and resilient. In the end, things do come together, and when they do, this sport is one of the most rewarding there is.

When will you compete?
My race is on Friday at 18:50. I hope to give my best performance, and I encourage everyone to follow it closely. Thank you very much and a big hug to all.

A step forward on the international stage

With his race set for Friday, Pol Moya approaches the championships with ambition and determination, fully aware of the level of competition but ready to perform at his best.

Having already achieved his primary objective of qualifying, the Andorran athlete now looks to make the most of the opportunity, using this experience as a platform for the rest of the season. With personal bests to chase and major competitions ahead, the World Indoor Championships represent both a milestone and a stepping stone in his continued progression.

World Records, Shock Golds and a New European Generation Rising

Written by Daniel Pajuelo on . Posted in ATH, European Games, Istambul 2027, Olympic Movement, Summer Sports. No Comments on World Records, Shock Golds and a New European Generation Rising

TOKYO — The 2025 Athletics World Championships are producing unforgettable moments, with European athletes stealing the spotlight at the top of the podium. Spain’s María Pérez’s dominant double victory in race walking, Sweden’s Armand “Mondo” Duplantis breaking yet another world record in pole vault, and Italy’s Mattia Furlani making history in the long jump headline the championships so far.

🇪🇸 María Pérez completes historic race walking double

Granada-born María Pérez reaffirmed her global dominance in race walking. In extreme heat and humidity, she stormed to gold in the 35 km walk with a time of 2:39:01, claiming her third world title. Italy’s Antonella Palmisano, the Olympic champion, finished more than three minutes behind.

Just days later, Pérez extended her legend by also winning gold in the 20 km walk with a time of 1:25:54, completing a historic double in Tokyo and cementing her status as one of the all-time greats of the discipline.

📏 Duplantis soars to a new world record

Sweden’s Armand Duplantis once again wrote history in the Tokyo stadium. He cleared 6.30m to set a new pole vault world record, while securing his third world title. With this mark, Duplantis has now broken the world record an astonishing 14 times, underlining his place as one of the greatest talents athletics has ever seen.

🌟 Furlani, the youngest ever world long jump champion

Italy celebrated the rise of Mattia Furlani, just 20 years old, who claimed gold in the long jump with a personal best of 8.39m. The Italian became the youngest world champion in the event’s history. Already a medallist at the European Games, Furlani confirmed in Tokyo that he is the new star of the discipline.

🥇 Other European triumphs in Tokyo

  • Jimmy Gressier stuns in the 10,000m
    France’s Jimmy Gressier delivered one of the biggest shocks of the championships, taking gold in the 10,000m in 28:55.77, breaking African dominance. Sweden’s Andreas Almgren added to the European success with bronze — his first major international medal.
  • Isaac Nader takes 1500m gold
    In a thrilling final, Portugal’s Isaac Nader claimed the 1500m title, defeating Britain’s 2022 world champion Jake Wightman. The win signals Portugal’s emergence as a middle-distance powerhouse.
  • Ditaji Kambundji reigns in 100m hurdles
    Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji stormed to the world title in the 100m hurdles, setting a new national record. At just 23 years old, she has confirmed her rise as one of Europe’s sprinting stars.
  • Nadia Battocletti, Italy’s double medallist
    Italian distance runner Nadia Battocletti took silver in the 10,000m and bronze in the 5,000m, establishing herself as one of the standout performers of the championships.
  • Femke Bol defends her crown in 400m hurdles
    The Dutch superstar confirmed her dominance by retaining her world title in the 400m hurdles.
  • Pedro Pichardo back on top in triple jump
    Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo reclaimed the world title with a superb 17.91m, returning his country to gold medal glory.
  • Leo Neugebauer leads Germany to decathlon gold
    The German all-rounder became world champion, proving his status as one of athletics’ most complete athletes.
  • Daniel Ståhl strikes gold in discus
    Sweden’s Daniel Ståhl once again showed his class, winning discus gold to extend Nordic dominance in the event.
  • More European medals in the field
    Germany’s Merlin Hummel took silver in hammer throw, while Hungary’s Bence Halász claimed bronze. Czech Jan Štefela also secured bronze in high jump.
  • Iliass Aouani brings marathon bronze for Italy
    Italy’s Iliass Aouani captured a historic bronze in the men’s marathon, rounding off a superb championships for the Azzurri.
  • Kate O’Connor wins historic silver for Ireland
    Ireland’s Kate O’Connor achieved a historic silver medal in heptathlon, with several personal bests. It marked Ireland’s first track medal at a World Championships in decades.

Europe is enjoying an especially brilliant World Championships, with established stars like Pérez and Duplantis shining alongside young talents such as Furlani, Gressier, Kambundji, Battocletti and O’Connor, symbolising the generational shift at the very top of world athletics

European Athletics Team Championships 2025: Italy reigns in Madrid as Belgium and Iceland lead the charge in Maribor

European Athletics Team Championships 2025: Italy reigns in Madrid as Belgium and Iceland lead the charge in Maribor

Written by Daniel Pajuelo on . Posted in EOC, ATH, BEL, European Games, ISL, ITA, Summer Sports. No Comments on European Athletics Team Championships 2025: Italy reigns in Madrid as Belgium and Iceland lead the charge in Maribor

Across six action-packed days and two host cities, the 2025 European Athletics Team Championships (ETCH)delivered an electrifying showcase of team spirit, national pride, and elite performances. With the First Division held in Madrid, and both the Second and Third Divisions hosted simultaneously in Maribor, Slovenia, this year’s edition reflected the full scope of European athletics — from powerhouse nations to rising federations making their mark.

🥇 FIRST DIVISION – MADRID: ITALY DEFENDS ITS TITLE IN STYLE

At Madrid’s Estadio Vallehermoso, 16 top-tier national teams battled it out from 26–29 June. Italy retained its crown with a commanding 431.5 points, outpacing Poland (405.5) and Germany (397) in a high-calibre field.

The four-day meet featured standout performances:

  • Femke Bol (Netherlands) smashed the championship record in the women’s 400m with a lightning-fast 49.48 seconds.
  • Miltiadis Tentoglou (Greece) soared to a world-leading 8.46m in the men’s long jump.
  • Young Dutch star Niels Laros took a sensational win in the men’s 5000m, confirming his rise as one of Europe’s brightest distance talents.
  • Poland capped off the event by winning a thrilling mixed 4x400m relay.

At the opposite end of the table, Ukraine, Finland, Lithuania were relegated to the Second Division for 2027, highlighting the unforgiving nature of this fiercely contested format.

(European Athletics)

(European Athletics)

🥈 SECOND DIVISION – MARIBOR: BELGIUM, NORWAY AND SLOVENIA PROMOTED

From 28–29 June, the Poljane Stadium in Maribor hosted a gripping battle for promotion. Belgium emerged victorious with 249.5 points, narrowly ahead of Norway (242) and host nation Slovenia (219.5). All three earned promotion to the top tier in 2027.

Middle-distance events and strong showings in the relays proved decisive for the leading teams. Meanwhile, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia fell to the Third Division after multiple events.

🥉 THIRD DIVISION – MARIBOR: ICELAND LEAD THE WAY IN SURPRISE ASCENT

The Third Division, also staged at Maribor’s Poljane Stadium (24–25 June), featured 15 national teams vying for just three promotion spots. Iceland delivered a standout collective performance, topping the table with 212.5 points. They were joined in promotion by Luxembourg and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Star of the weekend was Gina McNamara (Iceland), who claimed gold in both the women’s 800m and 1500m, while also scoring valuable points in the long jump. Malta achieved a national record in the mixed 4x400m relay and secured a historic fifth-place finish overall — a major milestone for the island nation’s athletics programme.

🔄 PROMOTION AND RELEGATION – EUROPE’S ATHLETIC LANDSCAPE SHIFTS

🏆 Division🟢 Promoted🔴 Relegated
First Division—Ukraine, Finland, Lithuania
Second DivisionBelgium, Norway, SloveniaBulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia
Third DivisionIceland, Luxembourg, Bosnia & Herzegovina—

🌍 TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS CONFIRM THEIR PLACE IN THE ATHLETICS CALENDAR

The 2025 edition once again highlighted the value of a team-based format in an increasingly individual-focused sport. National depth, tactical balance, and unity across disciplines made the difference — as much as any single standout athlete.

From record-breaking brilliance in Madrid to breakthrough moments in Maribor, the ETCH reaffirmed itself as a unique and vital fixture in the European athletics calendar. With new faces rising and others regrouping, the road to 2027 promises even fiercer battles — and fresh stories to be written.