There was a heated moment at the 2025 Spanish Under-20 Indoor Championships in Salamanca on Sunday when an athlete retaliated after a slight bump from another athlete on the final lap of the men’s 1,500m. Instead of brushing off the bump and continuing his race, 18-year-old Mario Palencia decided it was payback time, costing himself his third-place result.
Palencia was visibly frustrated after being passed by competitor Daniel Lopez with less than 200 metres to go, believing the move had taken him out of contention for the U20 title. As the runners reached the finish, Palencia caught up to Lopez, and rather than focusing on his own result, he delivered a massive shove—sending Lopez into another realm.
Despite the incident, Lopez still managed to finish ahead of Palencia, securing second place. According to MARCA, tensions flared between the two athletes after the shove, leading to an exchange of words. Officials swiftly intervened, issuing Palencia a red card and disqualifying him for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Palencia protested the ruling, arguing that Lopez’s move on the final lap impeded him and should have been penalized instead. However, race officials reviewed the situation and ultimately upheld the disqualification, dismissing Palencia’s appeal.
This marks the second such incident in competitive track and field within a week. Just a few days earlier, at a high school meet in Lynchburg, Va., an athlete took the competition way too seriously in the girls’ 4x200m relay—using her baton for more than just a handoff, striking another competitor in the back of the head.
