Alvaro Martin, the highly accomplished Spanish race walker, has officially retired at the age of 30, following an illustrious career that saw him claim Olympic, European, and world titles. The announcement comes after his standout performances at the 2024 Paris Olympics, marking the end of a storied journey in athletics.
In what would become his final Olympic appearance, Martin took home a bronze medal in the 20km race walk, completing his set of major international honors. He then partnered with his close friend and fellow world champion, María Pérez, to secure gold in the debut mixed marathon race walk relay event.
Reflecting on his career highlights, Martin described his last race as the most significant. “I’ll always cherish the gold medal in the relay because I shared it with María, and I knew it was my last competition,” he said. “When I overtook Pintado in that final relay, I realized it was the last kilometre of my career. It was emotional and exhilarating. I’m incredibly proud because I know all the hard work behind it.”
That gold medal in Paris added to an already impressive career that includes two European titles in the 20km race walk from Berlin in 2018 and Munich in 2022. Additionally, Martin secured two world titles in 2023 at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, dominating both the 20km and 35km events.
Speaking at an awards ceremony on Saturday, Martin admitted to mixed feelings about leaving the sport. “I say goodbye with pain and sadness,” he said. “I announced in Paris that I would not compete in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Today, I confirm that Paris was my last competition as a professional athlete.”
Martin retires as one of the fastest race walkers in European history, holding the eighth-best time in the 20km race walk with 1:17:32, and the sixth-best time in the 35km race walk with 2:25:58. His contributions to race walking will be remembered as among the greatest in the sport.
