Four stories of overcoming challenges from the most unknown Barça team
Four medals for Barça athletes who hide struggle and perseverance
BarcelonaBarça is more than just a club. That's what its motto says, and that's what it tries to convey through its sections. But beyond basketball, handball, indoor soccer, and roller hockey, there are the amateur sections. One of these disciplines in which the Blaugrana team triumphs is athletics. At the last Spanish Championships, held at the beginning of August in Tarragona, the Catalan club won a total of four medals: Héctor Santos (gold in the long jump), Bernat Erta (gold in the 400 meters), Carmen Rosales (bronze in the long jump), and Pablo Sánchez-Valladares (bronze). These medals, beyond their sporting prowess, hide stories of overcoming challenges.
This is the case of Héctor Santos. A year ago, he was practically unable to run after suffering a torn external meniscus. The first operation was so complicated that he had to return to the operating room four months later. It was a hard blow, as it made him lose any chance of making it to the Paris Olympics. The blood had eaten away part of his anterior cruciate ligament and cartilage. All of this made him consider retiring. "In November of last year, I was convinced. I spoke to my agent because I couldn't take it anymore. I reached a point where I couldn't even walk after driving. I asked the doctors to let me live a normal life, to stop jumping," explains the athlete Santos.
Barça was key in changing his mind. After a call with Vicente Egido, who until a few months ago was head of the section, the athlete received the support of the club, which renewed his contract with the same conditions despite not having been able to jump all year. "It was a change of mentality. I also met a physiotherapist, Álvaro Otero, with whom I made a change in my diet. I started to improve and was able to train again," he explains. Santos returned to the ring at the start of 2025, and everything went smoothly in Tarragona. "It was quite unexpected; it's the first Spanish championship I've won. From the warm-up, I started to feel really good, and I was lucky enough to win gold by just one centimeter. I'm very happy to close the loop on injuries this way," he concludes.
Bernat Erta has experienced a similar situation. Five years ago, he was crowned Spanish champion, but during this process, despite finishing runner-up in Europe and the world championships, he has endured difficult times due to injuries. "The hardest part was last year. When I seemed to be coming out of the woodwork, I tore my quadriceps, leaving me with no chance of going to the Paris Olympics," explains Erta. Furthermore, the injuries meant New Balance didn't renew his contract. But Barça gave him the option to return to the club where he had trained. "They welcomed me without pressure; if things had gone badly for me, they would have been delighted too. In the end, it worked out well for both parties," he adds.
It was also a day of vindication for Pablo Sánchez-Valladares, who, after four years without a podium finish, won bronze in the 800 meters. In his case, the problem wasn't injuries, but mentality. "I arrived at the Tokyo Olympics very young. At that moment, you think you'll conquer the world, but the reality is that if you're not there, there will be two others. You think you'll always be an international, but if you don't train hard, they'll overtake you," confesses Sánchez-Valladares. Thanks to her new coach, Uriel Reguero, she managed to change her mindset and push herself to the point that, pending the official list, she'll be at the World Championships in Tokyo next September.
Why Barça?
Barça has been key in the careers of three athletes. Despite being a large, multi-sport club, all highlight the close relationship between the club's directors and the athletes. "Any problem we have, we personally call those in charge, who are very involved in our preparation," explains Santos. "The big difference is that you're not just a number. In a sports brand, if you do poorly one year, they're no longer interested in you. At Barça, there's a much closer relationship," adds Erta, who has experienced both sides of the coin. "Financially, the club isn't at its best, and I could be making a lot of money elsewhere, but the closeness of the directors makes you stay," confesses Sánchez-Valladares.
Marc Egea Vives, the new technical director after taking over from Vicente Egido, admits that the economic situation has forced budget cuts, but maintains that the team remains committed: "Our greatest asset is Yulimar Rojas, Olympic champion." However, measures have been taken, such as withdrawing from the athletics Honor Division. "We are quite opposed to the current format [two preliminary rounds in which each club can bring two athletes per event and a final round with one athlete per event]. This, along with budget cuts, led to us abandoning the competition. This season we won the Second Division, but we will forgo promotion to the First Division, as it has the same format as the First Division. Meanwhile, Barça, which has 211 registered athletes on its roster, is now focused on creating a strong U-20 team with athletes mostly from Catalonia. "It's our commitment now to creating some identity and a foundation," Vives emphasizes.