Spain's Jesús Ángel García has been named as official ambassador for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Muscat ©Getty Images

Eight-time Olympian Jesús Ángel García has been appointed as the official ambassador for the upcoming World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Oman's capital Muscat.

The Spaniard made his first appearance in the men's 50 kilometres walk at the Olympics at Barcelona 1992, and went on to feature at the next seven Games.

His best finish was fourth at Beijing 2008, and he placed 35th at his final Games in Tokyo last year before retiring from race walking.

García also appeared at 13 World Race Walking Team Championships, earning gold in 1997, and triumphed in the men's 50km event at the World Athletics Championships in Stuttgart in 1993.

The now 52-year-old is set to attend the Championships in Muscat, where seven races are scheduled across this Friday (March 4) and Saturday (March 5).

His role also includes taking part in World Athletics Sustainability initiatives planned alongside the Championships, including a beach clean-up and tree-planting.

García is excited at being given the opportunity to continue his involvement with the sport.

"Race walking is my whole life, because it has allowed me to dedicate myself to my passion for many years, to build a family and to meet wonderful people, as well as to travel to beautiful places that I would have been unlikely to visit if I had not chosen this discipline," he commented.

Tokyo 2020 was the eighth Olympic Games for Spain's Jesús Ángel García ©Getty Images
Tokyo 2020 was the eighth Olympic Games for Spain's Jesús Ángel García ©Getty Images

"The fact that I can go to Oman as a representative of the athletes, the race walkers, is a great source of pride for me.

"I feel a great responsibility to give back to race walking what it has given to me and to contribute to making this event known in more countries.

"I am proud to bring my experience to strengthen the place of the 35km race walk in this new sporting stage that starts with the World Athletics Team Championships Muscat 22 and continues with the individual events at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon."

A total of 350 athletes from 46 countries are expected to attend the Race Walking Team Championships, where the 35km race is set to make its debut and several Olympic medallists are expected to compete.

The event was originally due to be held in Minsk, but Belarus' capital was removed as host in June last year, with World Athletics citing "uncertainties around diplomatic relations and international travel restrictions".