Who is Jael Bestue? All about Spanish sprinter who broke 35-year 200m national record at European Team Championships

At the European Athletics Team Championships in Madrid, sprinting phenom Jael Bestue of Spain broke the Spanish national record in the 200-meter event with an impressive run. She beat the previous record of 22.38 seconds held by Sandra Myers since 1990, blazing through in 22.19 seconds. One of the best sprinters in Spain, Jael Bestue excels in the 60, 100, and 200-meter races as well as the 4x100-meter relay. She set a new Spanish record at the 2017 U18 World Championships in Nairobi, where she won silver in the 200-meter event with a time of 23.61s. This marked her first major international medal. In the same year, she also broke the Spanish under-18 records in the 100 and 200-meter indoor track events.

Jael Bestue's family and hometown

The Spanish athlete was born on 24 September 2000 in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona.

When did Jael Bestue take up the sport?

The 24-year-old took up the sport at just the age of 13. She started practising athletics as an extracurricular sport at school under her coach Ricardo Dieguez.

Jael Bestue's education

The Spanish athlete is currently pursuing a degree in medicine at the University of Barcelona.

Other achievements of the Spanish sprinter

The 24-year-old has also represented Spain at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, but unfortunately didn’t advance to the finals. At the 2025 Stockholm Diamond League (Bauhaus Galan) on June 15, Jael Bestue delivered an impressive performance in the 200 m final, clocking 22.69 s to finish second, just behind Thelma Davies (Liberia).

After the 2025 Stockholm Diamond League, she penned a note on Instagram that read:

"Diamond League Stockholm 💎Very good feelings, a special experience and the pleasure of competing in a stadium with so much history."

"Now it's time to get back to the charge and in a few days we're heading to Madrid for the European Cup of Nations!! Hope to see so many of you cheering on Team Spain ✨ @madridetch2025," she added.

The Spanish women's 4×100 meter relay team, with Bestue, set a new national record with a time of 42.18s and reached the final of the World Athletics Relays in China. The Spanish team bested Jamaica in the race. The Jamaican team included a notable lineup of sprinters, including Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce.