Carmen Marco Mora

Spanish Track and Field Sprinter

Carmen Marco Mora is an accomplished Spanish sprinter specializing in the 100 meters and 200 meters. Hailing from Orihuela in the Alicante province of Spain, Carmen has established herself as one of Spain’s premier sprint talents, competing at the highest levels of international athletics including World Championships, European Championships, and Diamond League events.

Track and Field Accomplishments

International Competition

European Championships and European Games

Carmen’s most significant international achievement came at the 2021 European U23 Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, where she won a silver medal as part of Spain’s 4×100-meter relay team. The Spanish quartet clocked an impressive 43.74 seconds to finish second behind Germany, marking a breakthrough performance for the young sprinter on the continental stage.

In 2023, Carmen added to her medal collection by winning bronze at the European Games in Krakow, Poland. Competing in the 1st League of the European Team Championships as part of the European Games, the Spanish 4×100-meter relay team of Carmen Marco, Paula García, Paula Sevilla, and Jaël Bestué ran 43.13 seconds to claim third place behind the Netherlands and Poland. This bronze medal demonstrated Spain’s growing strength in women’s sprint relays.

World Championships

Carmen represented Spain at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, competing in the women’s 4×100-meter relay. The Spanish team, featuring Lucia Carrillo, Jaël Bestué, Paula Sevilla, and Carmen Marco, ran 42.96 seconds in the heats. While the team finished in 11th place overall and did not advance to the final, their performance equaled Spain’s best-ever 4x100m relay time, demonstrating the country’s continued progress in women’s sprinting. Carmen’s split time of 10.34 seconds on her leg showcased her individual speed contribution to the team effort.

Mediterranean Games

At the 2022 Mediterranean Games in Oran, Algeria, Carmen competed in the individual 100 meters, finishing in fourth place with a time of 11.48 seconds. Her performance highlighted her consistency as one of the Mediterranean region’s top sprinters.

Ibero-American Championships

Carmen also represented Spain at the 2022 Ibero-American Championships in La Nucía, Spain, competing in the relay events, although the Spanish team was disqualified in that competition.

Diamond League Success

One of Carmen’s career highlights came on the prestigious Diamond League circuit. She achieved a Diamond League meeting victory, demonstrating her ability to compete against the world’s elite sprinters. This victory placed her among a select group of Spanish sprinters who have won at Diamond League events, showcasing her speed and competitive quality on athletics’ premier international circuit.

National Championships and Spanish Success

Carmen has been a dominant force in Spanish sprinting, capturing multiple national titles throughout her career.

At the 2021 Spanish U23 Championships, Carmen claimed gold in the 100 meters, establishing herself as Spain’s top under-23 sprinter. That same year, she added a silver medal in the 200 meters at the Spanish U23 Championships, demonstrating her versatility across both sprint distances.

In 2019, competing at the absolute (senior) Spanish Championships, Carmen won bronze in the 100 meters, marking her arrival among Spain’s elite sprinters while still in the early stages of her senior career. By 2023, she had returned to the national championship podium, earning a medal in the 100 meters at the Spanish outdoor championships.

Carmen has been particularly successful in relay competitions at the national level, contributing to Spain’s strength in the 4×100-meter relay. Her consistent performances have made her a fixture on Spanish relay teams competing at international championships.

Youth and Junior Career

Carmen began making her mark on the international stage as a junior athlete. At the 2017 European U20 Championships in Grosseto, Italy, she competed as part of Spain’s 4×100-meter relay team, which finished in seventh place with a time of 45.33 seconds. This early international experience helped lay the foundation for her future success at higher levels of competition.

Personal Bests

Carmen’s personal best performances demonstrate her elite-level speed:

• 100 meters: 11.41 seconds (set multiple times in 2022 and 2023)
• 200 meters: 23.49 seconds (2023)
• 60 meters (indoor): 7.41 seconds (2022)
• 4×100-meter Relay: 42.96 seconds (2023, Spanish national record)

Her 100-meter personal best of 11.41 seconds ranks her among Spain’s fastest women sprinters in history. She has run this time on four separate occasions (June 24, 2022; June 25, 2022; July 28, 2023; and July 29, 2023), demonstrating remarkable consistency at her peak performance level.

Carmen currently holds the #472 world ranking in the women’s 100 meters and has achieved a scoring performance of 1112 points based on the World Athletics scoring tables for her 100-meter best.

Training and Development

As an elite Spanish sprinter, Carmen has benefited from Spain’s developing sprint program and the support systems available to high-performance athletes in the country. Spanish athletes pursuing dual careers in athletics and education have access to various support programs, including the PROAD (Programa de Atención al Deportista de Alto Nivel) program, which provides assistance to elite athletes in managing their training and academic responsibilities.

Carmen trains and competes as part of Spain’s national athletics program under the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (Real Federación Española de Atletismo – RFEA), which has increasingly invested in developing sprint talent to compete on the world stage.

Career Highlights and Achievements Summary

• European U23 Championships silver medalist (4x100m relay, 2021)
• European Games/European Team Championships bronze medalist (4x100m relay, 2023)
• Diamond League meeting winner
• Spanish U23 Champion in 100 meters (2021)
• Spanish U23 silver medalist in 200 meters (2021)
• Spanish Championship bronze medalist in 100 meters (2019)
• World Championships competitor (Budapest 2023)
• Mediterranean Games finalist (4th place, 100m, 2022)
• Personal best: 11.41 seconds (100m), run four times at peak form

Representing Spain on the World Stage

Carmen Marco Mora exemplifies Spain’s growing strength in women’s sprinting. Her consistent performances at national championships, success on the Diamond League circuit, and contributions to Spain’s relay teams have made her an integral part of Spanish athletics. She has represented her country with distinction at European Championships, World Championships, Mediterranean Games, and Ibero-American Championships.

Her ability to perform at the highest levels across multiple championship formats—from Diamond League meetings to World Championships—demonstrates both her competitive quality and mental resilience. As part of Spain’s sprint relay teams, Carmen has contributed to some of the fastest relay times in Spanish history, helping to elevate the country’s profile in international sprinting.

Origin and Background

Carmen was born in Orihuela, a historic city in the province of Alicante in southeastern Spain’s Valencian Community. Orihuela has a rich cultural heritage and has produced various notable Spanish athletes across different sports. Carmen’s emergence as an elite sprinter has brought recognition to her hometown and the region’s athletics programs.

Career Trajectory and Future Outlook

At 25 years old, Carmen is in the prime years of her sprinting career. Having established herself as one of Spain’s top sprinters with multiple national titles and international medals, she continues to compete at the highest levels of the sport. Her four separate performances at 11.41 seconds in the 100 meters demonstrate that she has the consistency and competitive quality to continue threatening for medals at European Championships and to contribute to Spain’s pursuit of relay medals at major championships.

Carmen’s progression from junior international competition in 2017 to World Championships and Diamond League success by 2023 shows a steady upward trajectory. Her experience competing at World Championships, combined with her relay medal success at European-level competitions, positions her well for continued success representing Spain.

As Spanish sprinting continues to develop, with improved relay performances and more athletes running competitive times, Carmen stands as one of the key figures in this new era of Spanish speed. Her contributions to Spain’s relay teams, combined with her individual performances, make her a valuable asset to Spanish athletics as the nation works to establish itself among Europe’s sprint powers.

Competitive Character

Carmen has demonstrated the ability to perform on the biggest stages, from the World Championships in Budapest to Diamond League meets featuring the world’s best sprinters. Her success in relay events shows her teamwork and reliability as a teammate, while her individual performances at national championships and international meets reveal her competitive drive and ability to peak for major competitions.

Her capacity to run her personal best of 11.41 seconds on four separate occasions reflects mental toughness and physical conditioning that allows her to reproduce elite performances repeatedly under pressure. This consistency is a hallmark of championship-level athletes and bodes well for her continued success in the sport.

Legacy and Impact

As one of Spain’s leading female sprinters of her generation, Carmen Marco Mora represents the progress Spanish athletics has made in developing world-class sprint talent. Her international medals, Diamond League victory, and multiple national titles have inspired the next generation of Spanish sprinters and contributed to elevating Spain’s standing in European and world sprinting.

Through her achievements, Carmen has demonstrated that Spanish sprinters can compete successfully against athletes from traditional sprinting powerhouses, helping to change perceptions about Spanish capabilities in speed events. Her role in Spain’s record-breaking relay teams has been particularly significant in advancing the country’s relay program to new heights.

With continued dedication and development, Carmen remains a key figure in Spanish athletics with the potential to add to her medal collection at future European Championships and other major international competitions.

Go Carmen!