Juan Manuel Molina

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Molina and the second or maternal family name is Morote.
Juan Manuel Molina at the World Championships in 2009.

Juan Manuel Molina Morote (born March 15, 1979 in Cieza, Murcia) is a male former race walker from Spain. He represented Spain at the Olympics in 2004 and 2008. His foremost achievement was a bronze medal in the 20 km walk event at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics. He competed at seven consecutive editions of the IAAF World Race Walking Cup, first appearing in 1999 and making his last outing in 2012.

He emerged in 2001 with a win at the 2001 European Athletics U23 Championships and second place at the 2001 Summer Universiade. He established himself on the senior circuit with a bronze medal at the 2002 European Athletics Championships. He was fifth at the 2004 Athens Olympics and won a series of medals in 2005, including silver medals at the European Race Walking Cup and Mediterranean Games and a gold medal at the Summer Universiade. His last major medal on the continental scene came at the Mediterranean Games, where he was the 20 km walk bronze medallist.

He retired from the sport, citing a long-term hamstring injury, after dropping out mid-race in the 50 km at the 2012 IAAF World Race Walking Cup.[1]

Achievements

Year Competition Venue Position Notes
Representing  Spain
1998 World Junior Championships Annecy, France 4th 10,000 m
2001 European Race Walking Cup Dudince, Slovakia 10th 20 km
World Student Games Beijing, PR China 2nd 20 km
2002 European Championships Munich, Germany 3rd 20 km
World Race Walking Cup Turin, Italy 8th 20 km
2004 Olympic Games Athens, Greece 5th 20 km
World Race Walking Cup Naumburg, Germany 8th 20 km
2005 European Race Walking Cup Miskolc, Hungary 2nd 20 km
World Championships Helsinki, Finland 3rd 20 km
Universiade İzmir, Turkey 1st 20 km
Mediterranean Games Almería, Spain 2nd 20 km
2006 World Race Walking Cup La Coruña, Spain 12th 20 km
2007 World Championships Osaka, Japan 16th 20 km
2008 Olympic Games Beijing, PR China 12th 20 km
2009 European Race Walking Cup Metz, France 6th 20 km
Mediterranean Games Pescara, Italy 3rd 20 km
World Championships Berlin, Germany 24th 20 km
2010 World Race Walking Cup Chihuahua, Mexico 22nd 50 km
European Championships Barcelona, Spain 9th 20 km

References

  1. Hamstring problems force Spanish walker Molina to retire. European Athletics (2012-05-15). Retrieved on 2012-06-03. Nowadays he is a sport professor of UCAM (University of Murcia)