Natalia Rodríguez

Who is Natalia Rodríguez?

Natalia Rodríguez Martínez is a Spanish middle distance runner who specializes in the 1500 metres. She represented Spain at the Summer Olympics in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012.

At the 2009 IAAF World Championships, Rodríguez initially finished first in the 1500 m, but was disqualified for tripping Gelete Burka. With 200 meters to go, Rodríguez thought she had a clear path to pass the Ethiopian runner on the inside, but when she attempted the pass, the pair collided and Burka crashed to the track.

She won the silver medal at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships, before going on to take the bronze medal outdoor at the 2010 European Athletics Championships.

She won the 2011 Cursa Bombers 10K race in Barcelona, although hot weather and a Catalan-only rule meant the race was uncompetitive.