Spanish athlete with Scottish and Irish background takes men's half-marathon title on the streets of Birmingham as María Pérez makes it a Spanish double with women's victory in a world record.

Paul McGrath delivered the moment of his career on the roads of Birmingham on Saturday morning, breaking clear in the closing kilometres to win the inaugural European half-marathon race walk title in a stunning personal best of 1:23:23 – almost two minutes quicker than the best he arrived with.

It capped a remarkable rise for the 24-year-old, whose journey from Spanish-Scottish roots to a World Championships podium we told you about recently has now added a European crown to the collection. McGrath came into these championships with a best of 1:25:20; by the time he crossed the finish line he had taken nearly two minutes off it on the biggest stage of his career so far.

The race itself unfolded as a tactical battle rather than a procession. Twelve men were covered by just two seconds after 5km, with Italy's European record-holder Francesco Fortunato setting the pace and McGrath tucked in among a stacked leading group that included Germany's Leo Köpp, Ukraine's Mukola Rushchak and Spanish team-mate Álvaro López. The race finally began to break apart around 11km, when McGrath and Köpp went clear together, opening an 11-second gap over the chasing pack.

That move looked set to decide the medals until a dramatic twist just past halfway: Köpp, who had been matching McGrath stride for stride, was disqualified after picking up a fourth warning, ending his championships instantly despite a brief protest. It transformed the race, and McGrath seized the opening. By 19km he had built a 21-second lead over Fortunato, and from there he was never going to be caught, extending his advantage all the way to the line.

Fortunato, the European record holder at 1:23:00, had to settle for silver in 1:23:36, with Italy's Andrea Cosi taking bronze in a personal best 1:23:49. Ukraine's Mukola Rushchak was fourth in a national record 1:24:12.

Pérez sets world record in women's race

There was another huge result in the women's half marathon race walk, where Spain's María Pérez produced a performance befitting an athlete who already holds four world titles and Olympic gold and silver, storming to victory in a world record 1:30:06.

Pérez had been locked in an early battle with Italy's Antonella Palmisano, the fastest woman in the field on paper coming into Birmingham, but the Spaniard began to pull clear from around 12km and never looked back, eventually winning by almost a minute. Italy's Alexandrina Mihai took silver in a huge personal best of 1:31:04, with Ukraine's Lyudmila Olyanovska claiming bronze in a national record 1:31:07. Palmisano, the early pace-setter, slipped back in the closing stages to finish fifth.

It is the latest addition to an extraordinary CV for the 30-year-old Pérez, who has already completed the 20km and 35km world double in both 2023 and 2025 – and has now moved swiftly to the top of the event's short history at these new championship distances.

READ MORE: European marathon race walks coverage

The half marathon and marathon race walks were introduced in place of the traditional 20km and 50km distances in order to make the events more relatable to casual observers and fans and both finals – for men and women – were run simultaneously over a shared, compact road circuit on Saturday morning, decided by electronic transponders and lap-counting officials rather than any staggered start.

The marathon race walks, run over the same course at the same time, are covered here.

Men's half marathon race walk: 1 Paul McGrath (ESP) 1:23:23; 2 Francesco Fortunato (ITA) 1:23:36; 3 Andrea Cosi (ITA) 1:23:49; 4 Mukola Rushchak (UKR) 1:24:12; 5 Salih Korkmaz (TUR) 1:24:45; 6 David Kenny (IRL) 1:24:49; 7 Álvaro López (ESP) 1:25:25; 8 Diego García Carrera (ESP) 1:25:41

Women's half marathon race walk: 1 María Pérez (ESP) 1:30:06 WR; 2 Alexandrina Mihai (ITA) 1:31:04; 3 Lyudmila Olyanovska (UKR) 1:31:07; 4 Pauline Stey (FRA) 1:31:12; 5 Antonella Palmisano (ITA) 1:32:10; 6 Ana Delahaie (FRA) 1:33:32; 7 Clémence Beretta (FRA) 1:34:10; 8 Mariia Sakharuk (UKR) 1:34:28