María Reyes Sobrino

María Reyes Sobrino Jiménez (born 6 January 1967) is a Spanish former racewalking athlete who competed mainly in the 3000 metres race walk and 10 kilometres race walk. Her greatest achievement was a gold medal at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in 1988. She was a five-time participant at the IAAF World Racewalking Cup and twice a World Championships in Athletics competitor.

Career Reyes was born in Viladecans, near Barcelona. Her father was a founding member of the local athletics club – Club Atletismo Viladecans – and this was where she picked up the sport. She began her international career in 1985, making her global debut at the 1985 IAAF World Race Walking Cup, then winning the gold medal at the 1985 European Athletics Junior Championships. Her best finish at a major outdoor tournament followed at the 1986 European Athletics Championships, where she was fifth, and her first senior medal came a year later at the 1987 IAAF World Race Walking Cup, sharing in the women's team silver alongside Teresa Palacio, Mari Cruz Díaz and Emilia Cano. She placed ninth at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics, which was the first ever women's world championship race walk.

Reyes enjoyed her best year in 1988, in which she became continental champion at the 1988 European Athletics Indoor Championships with a 3000 m walk win in a championship record time of 12:48.99 minutes. She claimed a 10,000 m walk bronze at the 1988 Ibero-American Championships in Athletics outdoors. She would go on to win a further European indoor bronze medal in 1989 and took the Ibero-American title in 1990. She walked at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics and made three further appearances at the World Race Walking Cup but was largely out of contention, though she did place seventh at the 1990 European Athletics Championships. She took up coaching following her retirement and among those she trained was Beatriz Pascual, a fellow Viladecans native.

International competitions

National titles Spanish Athletics Championships 5000 m walk: 1987, 1988, 1989 10,000 m walk: 1990, 1991 10 km walk: 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993 Spanish Indoor Athletics Championships 3000 m walk: 1984, 1986, 1989

Personal bests 3000 metres race walk – 12:27.82 min (1989) 5000 metres race walk – 21:57.86 min (1990) 5 kilometres race walk – 21:25 min (1987) 10,000 metres race walk – 46:04.05 min (1989) 10 kilometres race walk – 44:16 min (1990)

All information from All Athletics