Olaia Gisela Becerril Alvarez
Olaia Gisela Becerril Alvarez is an accomplished Spanish track and field athlete from Vigo, Spain, who has distinguished herself as a versatile competitor specializing in the long jump, sprints, and relay events. Her athletic journey has taken her from local Spanish competitions to international stages and the American collegiate system, where she has balanced elite athletics with academic pursuits in marketing and communications.
Early Athletic Development and Spanish Championships
Born and raised in Vigo, Spain, Olaia’s passion for athletics emerged early in her life. She attended Los Sauces European School in Vigo, where she participated in multiple sports including tennis, surfing, skating, gymnastics, and track and field, demonstrating her natural athleticism across various disciplines.
Her competitive track and field career began in earnest with Club Atletismo Celta de Vigo (also competing for Club Atletismo Playas de Castellon), where she quickly established herself as one of Spain’s most promising young jumpers. Her breakthrough came in 2017 when, at the Spanish Youth Championship, she captured the gold medal in the under-20 long jump with an emotional performance that saw her leap 5.90 meters without wind assistance. This moment, captured on video by her club members, showed her explosive reaction upon realizing she had achieved her personal best and secured the national title.
Throughout her youth career in Spain, Olaia accumulated an impressive collection of national honors, including three silver medals at the Spanish Championships in long jump. In 2017, she also earned recognition as the best athlete in Vigo, cementing her status as a hometown hero and role model for aspiring athletes in her community.
International Competition Success
Olaia’s talents extended beyond Spanish borders, earning her selection to represent Spain at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Hungary in 2017, where she secured a silver medal in the long jump—a performance that earned her an Olympic Diploma and international recognition. She also claimed first place at the Go Fit Championship in Portugal in 2017, further demonstrating her ability to compete successfully on the international stage.
American Collegiate Career
University of Nevada (2019-2021)
In August 2019, Olaia embarked on a new chapter in her athletic and academic career by accepting a scholarship to the University of Nevada, competing for the Wolf Pack. The opportunity arose through an agency that had initially contacted her brother Hugo, a tennis player, though a recruiting process that ultimately led to Olaia’s selection. She was also recruited by several other prestigious programs including the University of Idaho, University of Asheville, Temple University, South Dakota State University, Loyola University, and the University of Florida, ultimately choosing Nevada for what she believed would be the best environment for her development.
Her collegiate debut came at the Mountain West Indoor Championships in February 2020, where she finished 10th in the long jump with a distance of 5.69 meters. The 2020 outdoor season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but she returned strong in 2021. During her sophomore outdoor season, she competed in five meets and captured first place at the Sacramento State Tri-Team Challenge in the long jump with a distance of 5.57 meters. She also contributed to the 4×100-meter relay team and finished 8th at the Mountain West Championships in the long jump with a distance of 5.75 meters.
University of Louisiana Monroe (2022-2023)
Seeking a different environment and more personalized attention, Olaia transferred to the University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM), where she competed for the Warhawks and continued to excel across multiple events. Her time at ULM proved to be highly productive, with significant improvements in both her jumping and sprinting performances.
During her sophomore year at ULM in 2022, she competed in five indoor and five outdoor meets, setting a personal best in the 60 meters at 7.85 seconds at the Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships. Outdoors, she achieved a personal best in the long jump at 19-7 (5.97 meters) and the 100 meters in 12.34 seconds, while also contributing to the 4×100-meter relay team that posted a time of 47.32 seconds at the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Championships.
Her junior year in 2023 represented the pinnacle of her American collegiate career. Indoors, she earned Sun Belt Conference Indoor Field Athlete of the Week honors in February after winning the long jump with a personal-best indoor distance of 20-3.75 feet (6.19 meters) at the Samford Bulldog Open. She also set a personal best in the 60 meters at 7.78 seconds at the LSU Purple Tiger meet.
The 2023 outdoor season was even more impressive. Olaia won three events throughout the season and qualified for the NCAA East Regional Preliminaries in the long jump. Her crowning achievement came at the Bobcat Invitational in March, where she achieved a personal-best outdoor long jump of 20-9 feet (6.32 meters). At the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships in May, she finished third in the long jump with a distance of 19-3.5 feet (5.88 meters), earning Third-Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors. She also recorded a personal best in the 100 meters at 12.16 seconds at the LSU Battle On The Bayou.
Return to Spain and Current Career
Following her successful American collegiate career, Olaia made the decision to return to her hometown of Vigo in 2024, reuniting with her longtime coach Alberto Salgado, who had trained her since her cadet years. Salgado, a former jumper himself, understands Olaia’s needs as an athlete and emphasizes strength training and injury prevention—areas she found lacking in the American system despite its excellent facilities.
Her return to Spain has coincided with a renaissance in her athletic performance. In 2025, she achieved a new personal best of 6.33 meters in the long jump, surpassing her previous best from 2020 and marking her highest jump in five years. This breakthrough came after a year of focused training under Salgado’s guidance, with an emphasis on proper recovery, physiotherapy, and sustainable training loads.
At the 2025 Spanish National Championships in Tarragona, Olaia finished in an impressive sixth place with a distance of 6.30 meters, demonstrating remarkable consistency by clearing 6 meters in all but one of her attempts. She competed for SuperAmara BAT, showcasing her continued commitment to elite-level competition while balancing her professional career.
Education and Career Aspirations
Olaia’s academic journey has been as impressive as her athletic accomplishments. While at the University of Nevada, she began studying a double major in Marketing and Public Relations and Advertising, demonstrating her interest in communications and brand management. She continued this focus at the University of Louisiana Monroe, ultimately graduating with a degree in Marketing, Public Relations and Advertising with an emphasis in Social Media.
Her career aspirations have always centered on the marketing and communications field, specifically aiming to work as a marketing manager or in public relations. After returning to Spain, she successfully secured a position in the marketing field in Vigo—a goal she described as challenging given the competitive nature of the industry and the difficulty of finding well-compensated positions in her hometown. According to her LinkedIn profile, she currently works as a Marketing Manager at Perfiles Llaneza, where she focuses on digital marketing creation, market research strategies, competitor analysis, and audience insights that help companies connect authentically with their target markets.
Personal Life and Interests
Olaia comes from an athletic family. She is the daughter of Nacho Becerril (José Ignacio Becerril Lores) and Lola Alvarez (Lola Álvarez Vidal) and has one brother, Hugo Becerril Alvarez, who is a tennis player competing in Barcelona. The siblings share a strong athletic bond, and it was actually through Hugo’s initial contact with a recruiting agency that Olaia’s opportunity to compete in the United States first emerged.
Outside of athletics, Olaia has a passion for travel, enjoying the opportunity to explore new cultures and try different cuisines from around the world. She also enjoys shopping, watching films, and spending quality time with family and friends. Her time living in the United States from 2019 to 2023 fulfilled many of these interests, allowing her to experience life in different cultures while mastering English as a second language alongside her native Spanish.
Training Philosophy and Perspective
Olaia’s experience in both the American and European training systems has given her unique insights into athletic development. She appreciates the exceptional facilities and resources available in the American collegiate system, which allows athletes to train, compete, and study simultaneously at a high level. However, she also recognizes the system’s limitations, particularly regarding training load management, recovery protocols, and individualized attention.
The American system’s high-volume training approach and competitive pressure—where athletes feel they must perform consistently or risk being replaced—contributed to periods where Olaia struggled with injuries and couldn’t reach her full athletic potential. Upon returning to Spain and working with Coach Salgado, she has found a better balance that emphasizes proper strength work, injury prevention, adequate recovery, and sustainable training loads.
Looking Forward
At 24 years old and back in her hometown of Vigo, Olaia has positioned herself for what many consider the peak athletic years for long jumpers—typically between ages 24 and 30. With a supportive coach who understands her individual needs, a stable professional career in marketing, and renewed confidence following her recent personal bests, she is well-positioned to continue improving and potentially return to international competition representing Spain.
Her journey demonstrates resilience, adaptability, and the ability to balance multiple demanding pursuits. Whether in the long jump pit, the classroom, or the professional marketing world, Olaia Gisela Becerril Alvarez exemplifies dedication, intelligence, and the pursuit of excellence across all aspects of life. She remains a source of pride for Vigo and an inspiration to young Spanish athletes who dream of competing at the highest levels while building successful careers beyond sports.
Go Olaia!
