Spanish long jumper Julieta Gallego, 24, killed in train crash that left 68 dead
The Royal Spanish Athletics Federation said the AD Sprint athlete died in the collision of two high-speed trains in Toledo province, which killed at least 68 people.
At a glance
- Long jumper Julieta Gallego, 24, of Madrid club AD Sprint was among those killed in Spain's Toledo train crash.
- At least 68 people died and about 80 were injured when two high-speed trains collided on Wednesday.
- Athletics federation RFEA offered condolences, and president Raul Chapado said her life was 'unjustly extinguished'.
Long jumper Julieta Gallego, a 24-year-old who competed for the Madrid-based club AD Sprint, was among the people killed when two high-speed trains collided in Spain's Toledo province on Wednesday, an accident that left at least 68 people dead.
The Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA) said in a statement posted on X on Thursday that Gallego died in the crash at Urda, in Toledo, and offered its support to her family, friends and club teammates. She was a regular competitor in Spain's club championships and had a long jump personal best of 5.90 metres (19.4 feet), set in Antequera in 2023.
"There are blows that strike at the very heart of the athletics family. Today, the sport mourns the passing of Julieta, a life ahead of her that has been unjustly extinguished," RFEA president Raul Chapado told the Spanish newspaper ABC.
Toll and injuries
Emiliano Garcia-Page, president of the Castilla-La Mancha regional government, said at least 68 people were killed and about 80 were injured, 50 of them seriously and 15 critically.
The most seriously injured were taken to hospitals in the region and in Madrid, the capital. Other passengers were assessed at a sports hall near the crash site, where emergency teams sorted them by the severity of their injuries before sending them home or to hospital.
Local media reported that survivors treated near the scene had head wounds, facial swelling and bloodied clothing, and that many were dazed.
Second deadly accident in a year
The collision was the second deadly accident in less than a year on the line connecting Madrid with southern Andalusia.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- Who was Julieta Gallego?
- She was a 24-year-old Spanish long jumper who competed for the Madrid-based club AD Sprint and took part regularly in Spain's club championships, with a personal best of 5.90 metres set in 2023.
- How many people died in the Toledo train crash?
- At least 68 people were killed and about 80 were injured, according to Emiliano Garcia-Page, president of the Castilla-La Mancha regional government.
- Where did the Spain train collision happen?
- Two high-speed trains collided in Spain's Toledo province, at Urda, on the line connecting Madrid with southern Andalusia.
