The Spanish anthem with lyrics by José María Pemánwhich the poet from Cadiz wrote on behalf of Miguel Primo de Rivera and which was used during the Franco regime, was played this Monday in Yerevan (Armenia) in honor of the boxer Martin Molinaat the ceremony in which he was awarded the gold medal as the new European flyweight champion (48-51 kg).
The notes of the old hymn with the words of Pemán (“Long live Spain! Raise your arms, children of the Spanish people, who are rising again…”) accompanied Molina in the most important moment of his careerthe achievement of the continental title, the fourth European gold that amateur Spanish boxing has achieved in its entire history.
The boxer from Tarrasa listened to the anthem with his hand on his heart and his eyes full of tears.
Martín Molina wins Kiaran MacDonald ?? by unanimous decision and becomes the fourth Spaniard to be the European amateur boxing champion!
? Succeeds Luis Martinez (1947) and Juan F. Rodríguez (1971) in the -51 kilos category.
? The organization was wrong with the anthem. pic.twitter.com/8X4qDsBETH
– Olympic Info (@Info_Olimpica) May 30, 2022
The outdated anthem it could ring another three times this day, if the organizers do not change it in case the other three finalists who will fight for gold climb to the top of the podium: José Quiles in lightweight, against the Georgian Artyush Gomtsyan; Ayoub Ghadfa in the super heavyweight, against the German Nelvie Hess Tiafack; and Enmanuel Reyes Pla in the heavyweight, against the Italian Aziz Abbes Mouhidine.
It is not the first time that the Royal March with Pemán’s lyrics has sounded at a medal ceremony with the Spanish champion.
The badminton player Caroline Marin in one of his world titles, the one in 2015, or Alberto counter when he won the 2011 Giro, among others, they had to listen to the wrong anthem.
