Athletics loss: Long jumper dies in Toledo train crash

Julieta Gallego, a 24-year-old Spanish long jumper, died in a train collision in Toledo province.

The crash occurred on Wednesday and killed at least 68 people. About 80 others were injured. Emiliano Garcia-Page, president of the Castilla-La Mancha regional government, stated that 50 of the injured were seriously hurt and 15 were in critical condition.

Gallego competed for the Madrid-based club AD Sprint. She regularly participated in Spanish club championships. Her personal best in the long jump was 5.90 meters, a mark she set in Antequera in 2023.

The Royal Spanish Athletics Federation issued a statement on X on Thursday. It identified Gallego as a victim of the accident in Urda, Toledo. The federation offered support to her family, friends, and teammates at her club.

Raul Chapado, president of the federation, spoke to the Spanish newspaper ABC. He described the loss as a blow to the heart of the athletics community. He said Gallego had a life ahead of her that was unjustly ended.

This was the second deadly accident in less than a year on the line connecting Madrid to southern Andalusia. The most severely injured survivors were transported to hospitals in the region and Madrid. Others were treated in a sports hall near the crash site. Emergency teams sorted patients by injury severity before releasing them or sending them to hospitals.

Local media reported that survivors treated near the scene suffered head wounds, facial swelling, and bloodied clothing. Many appeared dazed after the collision.