Star-Studded Lineup for the Second Edition of the Canarias Athletics Invitational

Santa Cruz de Tenerife was the setting today for the official presentation of the Canarias Athletics Invitational, the international track and field meet that will hold its second edition this Saturday, May 31, starting at 4:30 p.m., at the Tenerife Island Athletics Center (CIAT), located in Tíncer.

The event, which this year has taken a significant step forward with its promotion to the Silver category of World Athletics, will bring together a lineup of top-tier athletes, thus confirming its status as one of the most important track and field events on the international calendar. This upgrade has sparked considerable interest among figures in the global athletics community, who have chosen Tenerife as a meeting place to compete in a highly competitive environment.

José Manuel Bermúdez, mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, was present at the launch event and stated that “it is an honor for Santa Cruz de Tenerife to host an event of this caliber because of the significant impact it will have on the city,” and added that “it will be a source of motivation for the boys and girls who play this sport every day in the municipality.”

For his part, José Francisco Pérez, Director General of Sports for the Canary Islands Government, emphasized the importance of “this event putting the Canary Islands, Tenerife, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife on the world athletics map” and that it will also “allow fans of this sport to see their idols up close, right here at home.” He also invited everyone “to enjoy this great event on Saturday.”

Yolanda Moliné, Sports Councilor for the Tenerife Island Council, for her part, emphasized, “It is an honor and a source of pride to collaborate with this event, which will bring together leading figures from international, national, and Canarian athletics.” She also thanked “the organizers and the Canary Islands Athletics Federation for their commitment to promoting such an important event.”

The president of the Canary Islands Athletics Federation, Pablo David de los Santos, expressed his gratitude for “the support of all the government agencies involved” and encouraged the organizer to “continue holding these types of events that promote and foster federated athletics.” He also had words of praise for “the athletes who devote hours and hours of their lives to preparing for events like these, as they are the main protagonists.”

The star of the event, American Fred Kerley—a world champion who also holds an Olympic silver and a bronze—said he was “very happy to be on the island” and stated that “his goal is to have a good time on the track on Saturday.” He also confirmed that his goal is to “improve on last week’s result at the Rabat Meeting,” where he clocked a time of 20.16 in the 200-meter dash.

For his part, Mariano “La Moto” García from Murcia, the indoor world champion and outdoor European champion, noted that “this Saturday in Tíncer, there will be plenty of excitement across all events” and encouraged the island’s residents “to take advantage of this long weekend and enjoy a Saturday of top-level track and field in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.”

For Samuel García from La Palma—Spanish champion, bronze medalist at the European Championships in Berlin, and member of the national team at the Tokyo Olympics—who is grateful to be able to participate in an event like this, especially given the high level of competition expected on the track on Saturday” and he highlighted the importance “of having an event of this caliber on the islands, since in Spain, at this level, there are only the ones in Tenerife and Madrid.”

At the same time, David Delgado, Spanish champion and senior international, said that on Saturday, “I’m going to go out there and give it my all on the track—a track I know inside and out—because I want to earn points toward the World Championships in Tokyo. Last weekend, I barely met the qualifying standard, and I want to keep earning points.”

It is worth noting that the Canarias Invitational will bring together some of the biggest names in international track and field this Saturday in Tenerife, in an edition that further solidifies its growth and global reach. Tickets for the competition are still available through the official website www.canarias-invitational.com, is being held for the first time with the Silver category designation awarded by World Athletics—a recognition that reflects the high caliber of the participating athletes.

With this leap in quality, the event has established itself as a must-attend event on the track and field calendar and has made Tenerife and the Canary Islands as a whole a destination of choice for sports fans worldwide. The meet, organized by the Canary Islands Athletics Federation and Alka Sport, is supported by the Government of the Canary Islands, Canary Islands Tourism, the Tenerife Island Council, and the City of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.