# Mario García (runner)

Mario García Romo (born 29 June 1999) is a Spanish middle-distance runner, who specializes in the 1500 metres. He was the national champion in the event in 2022, and he represented Spain in the 1500 m at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, finishing fourth and sixth.
García competed collegiately for the University of Mississippi, where he won a national title in the mile at the 2022 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships. After graduating in 2022, he joined the On Athletics Club as a professional runner for On Running.

## Early life and collegiate competition

García hails from Villar de Gallimazo, a small town in Spain with a population of 200. He relocated to the United States in 2018 to attend the University of Mississippi, pursuing a degree in chemistry. While at the university, he competed in the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). His older brother, Jamie, also participated in NCAA athletics for Eastern Kentucky University.
While at the University of Mississippi, García was a 7-time NCAA Division I All-American and 6-time Southeastern Conference champion in cross country and track. He won a national title in the indoor mile at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, running 4:07.54 to narrowly edge Morgan Beadlescomb for the win. He was runner-up in the 1500 m at the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. While still a student, García was also the silver medalist in the 1500 m at the 2021 European Athletics U23 Championships.

## Professional
### 2022

After graduating college, García relocated to Boulder, Colorado to train under coach Dathan Ritzenhein as part of the On Athletics Club. At the Spanish National Championships, García won the 1500 meters in 3:35.52, qualifying him for the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where he finished fourth in the final. Later that year, he earned a bronze medal in the 1500 m at the European Athletics Championships.

### 2023

On the 15 June, García set a personal best of 3:29.18 in the 1500 m at the Bislett Grames to finish fifth. The following month, he placed third in the Spanish Championships, qualifying him for the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. On 23 August, he finished sixth in the 1500 final of these championships in 3:30.26. The following month, on 8 September, García set a national record over 2000 m with his time of 4:49.85. The Spaniard ran his last track race of the year at the Prefontaine Classic, contesting the mile. He finished fourth in 3:47.69.

## Achievements

All information from World Athletics profile.

### International competitions

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Time |
| Representing Spain ||||||
| 2017 | European U20 Championships | Grosseto, Italy | 9th | 1500 m | 3:58.89 |
| 2018 | World U20 Championships | Tampere, Finland | 22nd (h) | 1500 m | 3:52.70 |
| 2021 | European U23 Championships | Tallinn, Estonia | 2nd | 1500 m | 3:40.11 |
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, United States | 4th | 1500 m | 3:30.20 |
| 2022 | European Championships | Munich, Germany | 3rd | 1500 m | 3:34.88 |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 6th | 1500 m | 3:30.26 |
| 2024 | World Indoor Championships | Glasgow, United Kingdom | 11th | 1500 m | 3:40.48 |
| 2024 | European Championships | Rome, Italy | 19th (h) | 1500 m | 3:44.30 |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 11th (repechage) | 1500 m | 3:37.01 |

### Personal bests

Outdoor
* 800 m: 1:46.90 (Oxford, MS 2022)
* 1500 m: 3:29.18 (Oslo 2023)
* Mile: 3:47.69 (Eugene, OR)
* 2000 m: 4:49.85 (Brussels, Belgium 2023) NR
* 3000 m: 7:47.56 (Nashville 2022)
* 5000 m: 13:56.69 (Memphis 2020)
Indoor
* 1500 m: 3:35.98 (New York City 2023)
* Mile: 3:51.79 (New York 2023) NR
* 3000 m: 7:34.74 (Boston, MA 2023)

### NCAA

Statistics sourced from athlete's profile on Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS).
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| Representing Ole Miss Rebels ||||||
| 2022 | NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 2nd | 1500m | 3:45.69 |
| 2022 | NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships | Birmingham, Alabama | 1st | Mile | 4:07.54 |
| 2021 | 2021 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships | Tallahassee, Florida | 46th | 10 km | 29:36.1 |
| 2021 | NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 5th | 1500m | 3:38.66 |
| 2021 | 2020 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships | Stillwater, Oklahoma | 30th | 10 km | 30:35.2 |
| 2021 | NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships | Fayetteville, Arkansas | 2nd | DMR | 9:20.75 |
| 2021 | NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships | Fayetteville, Arkansas | 3rd | 3000 | 7:48.59 |
| 2019 | NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship | Terre Haute, Indiana | 111th | 10 km | 32:04.2 |
| 2019 | NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships | Austin, Texas | 90th | 1500m | 3:59.50 |
| 2019 | NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships | Birmingham, Alabama | 8th | DMR | 9:35.45 |
| 2018 | NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship | Madison, Wisconsin | 154th | 10 km | 31:04.5 |