Spain's Marta Dominguez moves up to the marathon | 19.10.2012
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| Spanish middle-distance runner Marta Dominguez has decided to focus on marathon races in future. |
Domínguez, who also won over 5000m at the 2002 and 2006 European Athletics Championships before switching to the steeplechase and getting a silver medal at the 2010 European Athletics Championships in her new event, said that she intends to concentrate on road running.
Her immediate aim is to qualify for the 2013 World Championships in the marathon.
Now 36, her last steeplechase race was when she finished 12th in the final at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
“My son and my husband were both great sufferers because of my preparations for the London Games. I lost time to be with them because of training. They were the two big losers.
“The 3000m steeplechase is very demanding and very traumatic but I need time to see how I adapt to a new distance and how my body responds to me: but so far I am doing very well,” she said, explaining her decision to change disciplines.
“Now things have changed, I have new motivation and my outlook on life is different. My husband and son have given me an extra motivation to continue. I'm enjoying athletics as much as I've ever enjoyed it and I feel almost a new woman.
"The idea is to do road races. I'm thinking about the marathon. It's a very demanding discipline and you have to progress little by little."
Domínguez still stands fourth on the European all-time rankings for the steeplechase, behind three Russian runners, with the 9:07.32 she ran to win her world title in Berlin three years ago.
In addition to her other accolades, Domínguez also won the senior women's race at the 2007 SPAR European Cross Country Championships.
