Spanish long jumper Julieta Gallego among 69 dead in Toledo train crash
The 24-year-old athlete from Madrid was killed when a high-speed train struck a stopped service in Urda on October 28.
By Nicholas Campbell ·
Julieta Gallego, a 24-year-old long jumper, was killed in a train collision in Toledo, Spain.
The accident occurred on October 28 in the town of Urda. At least 69 people died in the crash, according to the Ministry of Transport. Gallego was one of the confirmed fatalities.
The Real Spanish Athletics Federation confirmed her death through social media. The federation described her as a member of the AD Sprint club in Madrid. They said the family of Spanish athletics united in grief over her passing. The organization sent its condolences to her relatives and clubmates.
Gallego had recently turned 24 on October 9. She lived in Germany but trained in Madrid. Her club, AD Sprint, released a statement calling it a very sad day for the group. They noted that she was part of their jumping section. The club said she would always be part of their family.
The athlete specialized in the long jump and also ran the 60 meters. In 2023, she recorded a distance of 5.90 meters. That mark came during the under-23 indoor Spanish Championships in Antequera, Malaga.
The collision involved two trains. An Iryo service with 147 passengers was stopped near the town. A Renfe high-speed train carrying 378 passengers struck it from behind. The impact caused carriages to derail and fall off an embankment, as reported by the ABC newspaper citing the Ministry of Transport.
The AD Sprint club will hold a minute of silence this Thursday. The tribute will take place at the athletics tracks in the Paracuellos and Santa Ana schools in Madrid. The ceremony honors Gallego following the fatal accident in Urda.
Source: KTVW-DT
