Italy’s Antonella Palmisano won gold in the event with a time of 1:28.08, while her compatriot, Valentina Trapaletti, finished in second place.
Garcia-Caro appeared to be on course for third place and with the Spanish flag draped around her neck, the 29-year-old stuck out her tongue and raised her first in celebration as she approached the finish line.
But in the final five metres, she was overtaken by Ukraine’s Lyudmila Olyanovska, who powered her way past the Spaniard, who looked stunned.
‘On the last lap I was quite exhausted and I tried to sprint with what I had left because I wanted to get as much advantage as possible to the last few meters,’ Garcia-Caro said after being forced to settle for fourth place.
‘It is true that with 300 and 200 metres to go I was looking back because I knew that it was relatively close, but at 100 metres I looked again and I saw that I was 40 or 50 meters ahead and I already thought that she wouldn’t catch me.
‘And well, I didn’t see her coming and I thought I already had it.
‘I was already focused on getting there and although I know that you see me celebrating, in reality I was giving everything . I don’t know if I trusted myself but in the last 400 I was giving everything and looking back.
‘I am not at all happy with this ending and I hope that on another occasion it will be different. I have competed well, I have given everything and I have had a spectacular season beyond this accident.
‘I have had a pretty bad year and a half and I have managed to turn it around by fighting with all my strength. Now I hope to learn from this mistake and continue working to come back stronger.’
Garcia-Caro will be among the women competing for gold at the 20km race walk at the Olympics in Paris this summer.
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