Canary Islands Long Throws Talent Excels Nationally
Canary Islands athletes demonstrated national strength at the Spanish Long Throws Championship in Castellón, securing gold medals for Magno Llopis (U20 hammer) and Pablo Hernández Guerra (U16 hammer, setting a new record), alongside a senior discus silver for Yasiel Bryan Sotero Salazar.
The recent Spanish Long Throws Championship in Castellón showed just how strong Canary Islands athletics has become nationally, especially among young athletes. The island team won many medals, proving their growing skill and excellence in events like hammer throw and discus throw.
One of the top performers was Magno Llopis from Gran Canaria, representing the Chikillos de Vecindario club. He took home the gold medal in the U20 hammer throw with a distance of 66.37 meters. This win highlights his impressive progress, which also includes national gold medals in 2024 and 2025, plus a European bronze in 2025. Llopis, coached by David Montelongo, aims to compete in the summer Spanish Championship and qualify for the World Championships in Oregon.
Also making headlines was Pablo Hernández Guerra from Tenerife, representing Club Corredores Tenerife Santa Cruz. He became the Spanish U16 hammer throw champion. The 14-year-old not only won with a throw of 63.38 meters but also set a new championship record. Coached by Pedro González Palma, Hernández Guerra has an impressive list of achievements for his age. These include the Canarian U14 record, two Spanish runner-up titles in 2025 (in Winter Long Throws and the autonomous federations' competition), and an outdoor Spanish championship. He credited his success to staying calm during the event and improving his personal best twice.
In the senior category, Yasiel Bryan Sotero Salazar from Gran Canaria, competing for Tenerife Cajacanarias, earned a silver medal in discus throw with a mark of 59.79 meters. Sotero, coached by José Francisco Ríos, said this achievement is a turning point for him. He values it even more than past gold medals, seeing it as a sign of renewed motivation and a "new beginning" in his athletic journey.
These results, along with other strong performances from athletes across the islands, highlight the strength and progress of athletics in the Canary Islands. They point to a bright future for the region in both national and international competitions.