Firefighter from Chiclana Wins Nine Medals at European Police and Fire Games

Firefighter Juan Francisco López Gallardo, known as 'Juan Fran', returned home to Chiclana after winning nine medals at the 11th European Police and Fire Games held in Vigo. The international sporting event took place from October 9 to October 18, bringing together thousands of security and emergency professionals. His strong performance earned him five gold, two silver, and two bronze medals, along with qualification for the upcoming world championship scheduled in Australia in March 2027.

A lifelong participant in swimming and water polo, López Gallardo competed for the first time in open-water swimming events during this edition of the games. His standout individual result came in the 200-meter freestyle, where he claimed the gold medal. The remaining four gold medals were achieved in relay events: the 4x100 freestyle, 4x100 medley, 4x50 freestyle, and 4x50 medley.

In addition to his gold medals, the Chiclana native secured silver in the 100-meter butterfly and 200-meter individual medley. He also earned bronze medals in the 50-meter butterfly and the two-kilometer open-water swimming competition. Representatives from the Provincial Fire Consortium of Cádiz personally congratulated him on his achievements and for representing the organization at the highest level of international competition.

Reflecting on his success, López Gallardo expressed deep satisfaction with his results and stated that he is already focusing on preparing to defend his titles at the global competition in Australia next year. Meanwhile, other emergency personnel also found success at the Vigo games, including a National Police officer from Asturias and his K9 service dog, Neo, who earned a bronze medal in the K9 Defense and Protection category.

The broader European event gathered more than 3,000 security and emergency professionals from various countries to compete across 48 disciplines and 90 events held throughout athletic and urban venues in the Galician city. Participants tested their skills in specialized categories ranging from tactical canine operations to water sports and physical endurance trials.