Following the final of four points-bearing half marathons in the EuroHeroes 2026 series – the September Mattoni Half Marathon Ústí nad Labem – the verdict is in. The winners of a tightly contested fifth edition of the project aimed at supporting and developing European runners are 32-year-old Spanish native Jorge Blanco and his compatriot Carolina Robles, who is two years older. Both runners evaluated their debut appearance in the project as well as the organization and atmosphere of the RunCzech races very positively, and both plan to contend for top spots again next year.
The two-time Olympian launched her title chase with a victory in Karlovy Vary, while the Spanish national champion did so in České Budějovice. However, the decisive points came in June in Olomouc, where the Spaniards stood side-by-side atop the podium for the first time – and where Robles broke the 2015 European event record with a time of 1:09:30. Their performances in Olomouc made both athletes the front-runners for the overall victory, but the deciding race proved to be Ústí nad Labem, which only Blanco attended. “It had been just five weeks since the European Championships in Birmingham, and I knew I wasn’t in top shape. The conditions weren’t ideal either –it was windy, so no one wanted to set the pace, turning the race into a tactical battle decided in the final, highly intense 3–5 kilometers,” reflected Blanco, who missed out on a hat-trick and a higher overall score, leaving Ústí nad Labem with a fifth-place finish.
Carolina Robles watched the final race of the RunCzech season via live stream from Denmark. Her eyes were fixed primarily on local favorite Tereza Hrochová, who won the EuroHeroes series in 2023 and, along with Norway’s Hanne Mjøen Maridal, was her main rival this year. “I was watching the race and got pretty nervous. Tereza is in great shape, and her pace was really fast, especially at the start,” admitted Robles, congratulating Tereza on her second-place finish.
For both athletes, their individual race victories and overall titles came as a surprise. After Olomouc, Blanco noted that he had originally only hoped for a podium spot and that winning the title would mean joining the ranks of top-tier European athletes. “Winning the series against such tough competition means a lot to me, and I’m really thrilled. But there isn’t much time to celebrate because I’m already back in high-altitude training for my upcoming races,” explained this year’s men’s champion. Robles was equally surprised by her performance, ranking the overall victory among her greatest career achievements. “In Karlovy Vary, I was still in pre-season prep, and in Olomouc, I raced right in the middle of heavy training volume. I guess the key to success was running with zero pressure and simply enjoying the race and the atmosphere. After two 8th-place finishes at the European Championships and two Olympic appearances, the EuroHeroes title is another major milestone in my career.”
Blanco had previously stated his goal to complete all five RunCzech half marathons, and now he has an extra reason to return to the Czech Republic. “Honestly, my first EuroHeroes experience was amazing. The organization was fantastic, and the atmosphere was wonderful. You can feel a real passion for running here, and it’s great to have the opportunity to race abroad. Next year, I’d love to come back and try to defend the title,” he summarized. “I’d also love to run all the races in the series and defend my title. We’ll see how much I can fit into my race calendar for next year,” added Robles.
The Spanish runners view their shared success primarily as motivation for fellow athletes. “I hope everyone in Spain is proud of our victory and sees us as proof that it’s worth going abroad to fight for success,” said Carolina. “Spain is going through a great era in distance running. But there are many other countries with tremendous potential, and the competition is only going to get tougher in the coming years,” added Jorge.
The success of the Spanish running scene was further highlighted by other runners participating in the EuroHeroes series. Artur Bossy secured an impressive sixth-place finish, while Cristina Silva shone by taking seventh place among the women. Pol Espinosa, who competed only in the České Budějovice race—where he achieved an excellent fourth-place finish—was not included in the overall standings.
