Raul Chapado, president of the RFEA, stated the news was a "blow that struck at the very heart of the athletics family".

Spanish long jumper Julieta Gallego was among the victims of the deadly high-speed train crash that has killed 74 people in Toledo.

The 24-year-old competed for Madrid-based AD Sprint and was a regular participant in Spain’s club championships.

One of her most notable results was finishing fourth in the long jump at the 2023 Spanish indoor under-23 championships in Antequera.

 

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Gallego set her personal best of 5.90m during that competition, behind Tessy Ebosele (6.50m), Evelyn Yankey (6.09m) and Carmen Rosales (6.04m).

The following year Gallego placed eighth in the long jump at the Spanish outdoor under-23 championships with a mark of 5.62m.

The Royal Spanish Athletics Federation expressed its condolences, with Raul Chapado, president of the RFEA, saying: "There are blows that strike at the very heart of the athletics family. Today, the sport mourns the passing of Julieta, a life ahead of her that has been unjustly extinguished."

AD Sprint stated that Gallego "will always be part of our Sprint family" and are holding a minute's silence this evening at the Paracuellos athletics track and in Santa Ana.