Marta Domínguez facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Marta Domínguez

Personal information
Full name	Marta Domínguez Azpeleta
Nationality	Spanish
Born	(1975-11-03) 3 November 1975 (age 49) Palencia, Spain
Height	1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Weight	52 kg (115 lb)
Sport
Country	Spain
Sport	Athletics
Medal record World Championships Silver 2001 Edmonton 5000 m Silver 2003 Paris 5000 m Disqualified 2009 Berlin 3000 m st. World Indoor Championships Silver 2003 Birmingham 3000 m European Championships Gold 2002 Munich 5000 m Gold 2006 Gothenburg 5000 m Bronze 1998 Budapest 5000 m Disqualified 2010 Barcelona 3000 m st. European Cross Country Championships Gold 2007 Toro Senior race

Marta Domínguez Azpeleta (born on November 3, 1975) is a Spanish former runner and a politician. She is best known for competing in the steeplechase event. Marta has proudly represented Spain four times at the Olympics. She has also competed at the World Championships on six different occasions.

As a 5000-meter runner, Marta won a bronze at the 1998 European Athletics Championships. She also earned a silver medal at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics. In 2002, she won two gold medals. First, she won the 3000 meters at the European Athletics Indoor Championships. Then, she became the European champion at the 2002 European Athletics Championships. The next year, she won silver medals in similar events at the World Indoor Championships and the 2003 World Championships in Athletics. She won her European title again at the 2006 European Athletics Championships.

Marta Domínguez faced some challenges related to sports rules during her career. In 2010, she was part of an investigation related to sports rules, but she was later cleared in 2011. In 2015, a sports court decided she could not compete for three years. This was due to issues with her biological passport. This decision meant that some of her past results, including a world championship win from 2009, were cancelled.

Marta Domínguez's Athletic Journey

Marta Domínguez started her running career competing in 1,500, 5,000, and 10,000 metres races. At just 20 years old, she competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics. She finished 9th in her first 1,500m heat.

Early Wins and European Success

In 1998, Marta won her first championship medal. It was a bronze in the 5,000m at the 1998 European Athletics Championships in Budapest. She finished behind Sonia O'Sullivan (gold) and Gabriela Szabo (silver). In 2002, she won gold medals at both the European indoor and outdoor championships. She won her second straight European 5,000m title in 2006. She also holds silver medals from the World Championships in 2001 and 2003. She was named Spanish Athlete of the Year in both of those years.

National Champion and Olympic Appearances

Marta Domínguez has been a six-time national champion in the women's 5,000 meters. Her only Olympic appearance in this event was in 2000. She missed the 2004 Summer Olympics because of an injury. She returned in 2005, finishing 14th at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics.

Breaking Records and Cross Country Running

In 2006, Marta won the gold medal at the 2006 European Athletics Championships. This made her the most decorated Spanish athlete ever. She also broke the Spanish record for the 10,000 meters at the same event. She finished 7th in that race. Besides track, she also competed in cross country running. She won the Cross de Atapuerca in 2006. The next year, she won the title at the European Cross Country Championships. She finished 2007 with a win at the Cross Internacional de Venta de Baños.

Marta Domínguez shadowing Yuliya Zarudneva in the 2010 European final.

Steeplechase Challenges and Triumphs

In 2008, Marta started running the 3,000 meter steeplechase. She broke the Spanish record in her very first race. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, she was among the leaders. However, with 250 meters left, she tripped over a barrier and fell. She was unable to finish the race.

Marta improved her 3,000 meter steeplechase national record in June 2009. She beat her old record by over five seconds at a track meet in Málaga. She later won the gold medal in the event at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics.

In July 2010, she won a silver medal at the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona. She competed in her fourth Olympics in 2012 in London. At 36, she was the oldest athlete in the steeplechase final. She finished 12th in that race.

Marta Domínguez's Political Career

In November 2011, Marta Domínguez was elected as a politician. She became one of four members for Palencia in the Senate of Spain. This happened during the 2011 Spanish general election. She ran as part of the People's Party.

Marta Domínguez's Best Times

Domínguez winning the 2007 European Cross Country Championships

• 1500 metres - 4:06.08 (2000)
• 3000 metres - 8:28.80 (2000)
• 5000 metres - 14:48.33 (2003)
• 10,000 metres - 30:51.69 (2006)
• 3000 m steeplechase - 9:09.39 (2009)

Achievements and Medals

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing  Spain
1994	World Junior Championships	Lisbon, Portugal	2nd	1500 m	4:14.59
1995	World Indoor Championships	Barcelona, Spain	6th	3000 m	9:01.79
	World Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	semi-final	1500 m	4:18.72
1996	European Indoor Championships	Stockholm, Sweden	3rd	3000 m	8:53.34
	Olympic Games	Atlanta, Georgia, United States	heats	1500 m	4:15.00
1997	World Indoor Championships	Paris, France	5th	3000 m	8:52.74
	European U23 Championships	Turku, Finland	5th	1500m	4:16.95
			3rd	5000m	15:49.96
1998	European Indoor Championships	Valencia, Spain	3rd	3000 m	8:57.72
	European Championships	Budapest, Hungary	3rd	5000 m	15:10.54
1999	World Championships	Seville, Spain	9th	5000 m	15:16.93
2000	European Indoor Championships	Ghent, Belgium	3rd	3000 m	8:44.08
	Olympic Games	Sydney, Australia	heats	5000 m	15:45.07
	World Cross Country Championships	Vilamoura, Portugal	14th	Short race (4.18 km)	13:23
2001	World Indoor Championships	Lisbon, Portugal	4th	3000 m	8:40.98
	World Championships	Edmonton, Canada	2nd	5000 m	15:06.59
2002	European Indoor Championships	Vienna, Austria	1st	3000 m	8:53.87
	European Championships	Munich, Germany	1st	5000 m	15:14.76
2003	World Indoor Championships	Birmingham, England	2nd	3000 m	8:42.17
	World Championships	Paris, France	2nd	5000 m	14:52.26
2004	World Indoor Championships	Budapest, Hungary	4th	3000 m	9:12.85
2005	World Championships	Helsinki, Finland	14th	5000 m	15:02.30
2006	European Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	1st	5000 m	14:56.18
			7th	10,000 m	30:51.69
2007	European Indoor Championships	Birmingham, England	2nd	3000 m	8:44.40
	European Cross Country Championships	Toro, Spain	1st	Senior race (8.2 km)	26:58
2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	—	3000 m st.	DNF
2009	World Championships	Berlin, Germany	DSQ (1st)	3000 m st.
2010	European Championships	Barcelona, Spain	DSQ (2nd)	3000 m st.
2012	Olympic Games	London, United Kingdom	DSQ (12th)	3000 m st.

Images for kids

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  Marta Domínguez

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  Marta Domínguez shadowing Yuliya Zarudneva in the 2010 European final.

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  Domínguez winning the 2007 European Cross Country Championships

See also

In Spanish: Marta Domínguez para niños