Camilla Pagani: Spain’s Rising Quarter-Miler

Date of Birth: September 17, 2005
Nationality: Spain 🇪🇸
Events: 400 Metres, 200 Metres, 4x100m Relay, 4x400m Relay
World Athletics Code: 14985767

Introduction

Camilla Pagani is an emerging Spanish sprinter who has quickly established herself as one of the country’s promising young talents in the 400 metres and relay events. Still just 20 years old, Pagani represents the next wave of Spanish athletics—a generation of athletes who are helping Spain compete at increasingly higher levels on the international stage, particularly in the sprint and relay disciplines.

With personal bests that continue to improve season after season and a growing presence in Spanish national competition, Pagani embodies the kind of determined, progressive development that Spanish athletics fans have come to appreciate in their rising stars.

Athletic Profile and Personal Bests

Pagani is primarily a 400-metre specialist, though her versatility allows her to contribute meaningfully across multiple sprint disciplines. Her current personal best times demonstrate a well-rounded sprinting ability:

• 400 Metres: 56.41 (July 5, 2025 – Pista de Atletismo La Granadilla, Badajoz)
• 400 Metres Short Track (Indoor): 56.79 (February 8, 2025 – Pista Coberta de Catalunya, Sabadell)
• 200 Metres: 25.15* (July 12, 2025)
• 4×100 Metres Relay: 48.40 (July 23, 2023 – Soria)
• 4×400 Metres Relay: 3:48.81 (May 25, 2025 – Estadio de Larrabide, Pamplona)

*Wind-assisted performance

As of January 2026, Pagani is ranked #1381 in the World Athletics women’s 400m rankings—a position that, while modest on the global stage, reflects solid standing for a developing athlete who is still well within her junior and U23 eligibility years.

Career Development

Early Career and Youth Athletics (2021-2023)

Pagani’s recorded competitive history with World Athletics dates back to at least 2023, when she was still competing as an U18 (Sub-18) athlete in Spanish youth championships. Her first notable relay performance came in July 2023 in Soria, where she contributed to a 4x100m relay team that clocked 48.40 seconds. This performance indicated that even at 17 years old, Pagani had the speed and relay exchange skills to compete at significant national youth events.

The youth championships in Spain, organized by the Real Federación Española de Atletismo (RFEA), serve as crucial developmental platforms for athletes like Pagani. These competitions—held in venues across the country from Soria to Badajoz to Sabadell—provide young Spanish athletes the competitive experience necessary to progress through the age-group ranks.

Transition to U20 Competition (2024)

The 2024 season marked Pagani’s transition into the Sub-20 (Under-20) age category—a critical period in any young sprinter’s development. The U20 phase is when many athletes begin to solidify their event specialization, and for Pagani, it became clear that the one-lap event would become her primary focus.

Spanish U20 athletics has grown increasingly competitive in recent years, with the country producing several notable young talents who have gone on to represent Spain at European U20 Championships and other international age-group competitions. Pagani’s emergence fits within this broader trend of Spanish youth athletics development.

2025 Season: Breakthrough and Progression

The 2025 season has proven to be a pivotal year in Pagani’s young career, with significant improvements across her event portfolio and increased consistency in competition.

Indoor Season: Pagani opened her 2025 campaign on the indoor circuit, competing at the Pista Coberta de Catalunya in Sabadell on February 8. There, she ran 56.79 in the 400m short track—a solid indoor performance that set the tone for her outdoor season.

Spring Relay Success: In May 2025, Pagani delivered one of her standout performances at the Estadio de Larrabide in Pamplona—a venue that holds special significance in Spanish athletics as the host of major national championships and international meetings. Competing in a 4x400m relay, she was part of a team that recorded an impressive 3:48.81, her best relay mark to date with a World Athletics score of 985 points.

The Pamplona performance came during a remarkable period for Spanish women’s relay running. Just weeks earlier, Spain’s senior 4x400m team had shocked the athletics world by defeating the United States at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China, claiming gold in a national record time of 3:24.13. While Pagani was not part of that particular senior squad—which featured Paula Sevilla, Eva Santidrián, Daniela Fra, and Blanca Hervás—her age-group relay performances suggest she may well be part of Spain’s relay future.

Summer Individual Success: July 2025 saw Pagani achieve her outdoor 400m personal best of 56.41 at the Pista de Atletismo La Granadilla in Badajoz during the Spanish Sub-20 Championship period. This mark—achieved in the challenging heat of the Extremadura summer—demonstrated her ability to perform under pressure at major national championships.

Later that month, on July 12, she ran 25.15 in the 200 metres, though wind assistance rendered the mark unofficial for record purposes. Nevertheless, the time indicated her speed development and potential to contribute across the sprint events.

Competition Venues and Spanish Athletics Circuit

Pagani’s competition history provides a tour of Spain’s athletics infrastructure, with performances recorded at some of the country’s most significant venues:

• Estadio de Larrabide, Pamplona: One of Spain’s premier athletics facilities, located in the Navarra region. The stadium has hosted numerous Spanish Championships and continues to be a centerpiece of the domestic calendar.
• Pista Coberta de Catalunya, Sabadell: Catalonia’s primary indoor athletics facility, located near Barcelona. This venue hosts the Catalan Indoor Championships and serves as a regular stop on the Spanish indoor circuit.
• Pista de Atletismo La Granadilla, Badajoz: Located in Extremadura, this facility has become a regular host of Spanish age-group championships, including the prestigious Campeonato de España Sub-20.
• Soria: A city in Castile and León that regularly hosts youth athletics competitions, contributing to the decentralized nature of Spanish championship events.

The Spanish Athletics Context

Pagani’s emergence comes during an exciting period for Spanish athletics, particularly in the women’s sprints. The senior women’s 4x400m relay team has achieved historic successes, including their stunning victory over the United States at the 2025 World Athletics Relays. Athletes like Paula Sevilla, Daniela Fra, and Blanca Hervás have elevated Spanish quarter-miling to new heights, setting national records and qualifying for World Championships.

For young athletes like Pagani, these senior role models provide both inspiration and a pathway. The RFEA’s development system, which features a comprehensive calendar of age-group championships (Sub-16, Sub-18, Sub-20, Sub-23) and club competitions, creates opportunities for emerging talents to gain experience and improve progressively.

Spain’s investment in athletics facilities across its autonomous communities—from Pamplona in the north to Badajoz in the southwest to Sabadell in Catalonia—ensures that young athletes can compete at quality venues without always traveling to Madrid or Barcelona. This infrastructure accessibility has played a role in developing a deeper pool of Spanish sprint talent.

Looking Ahead

At just 20 years old, Pagani has considerable room for development. Athletes in the 400 metres typically don’t reach their peak until their mid-to-late twenties, meaning Pagani has potentially five to eight more years of improvement ahead.

Key targets for her continued development might include:

• Breaking 56 seconds: The psychological barrier of sub-56 would mark a significant step forward and bring her closer to Spanish national team consideration for major championships.
• European U23 Championships: As she ages into the Sub-23 category, European U23 Championships represent a natural target for international experience.
• Senior National Team Integration: With Spain’s women’s 4x400m program thriving, there may be opportunities for relay squad integration as she continues to improve.
• Spanish Championship Medals: Competing for medals at Spanish Senior Championships (Campeonato de España Absoluto) would mark her arrival as a senior-level domestic competitor.

Current Status

World Athletics Ranking: #1381 (Women’s 400m)
World Athletics Score (PB): 962 (400m), 982 (400m indoor), 985 (4x400m relay)
Age Category: Sub-23 eligible through 2027