El podio está cerca de la línea de meta.

Because Spanish normally uses estar for physical location.

• El podio está cerca... = the podium is located near...
• Ser is usually for identity, definition, or inherent characteristics.

So:

• El podio es... would sound like you are saying what the podium is
• El podio está... says where it is

This is one of the most common uses of estar.

Because cerca normally needs de before the thing it is near.

• cerca de la línea de meta = near the finish line

This is just how the expression works in Spanish:

• cerca de = near
• lejos de = far from

So está cerca la línea de meta would not be the normal structure here.

Because línea is a feminine noun, so it takes la, not el.

• de + el = del
• de + la = de la

So:

• del podio
• de la línea

Since línea is feminine, de la línea is correct.

Spanish uses articles more often than English, especially when talking about a specific thing in context.

Here, la línea de meta means the finish line. It sounds natural because the speaker is referring to a specific finish line, not just the concept of one.

Likewise, el podio also has an article because it means the podium.

Leaving out the articles here would sound unnatural in normal Spanish.

Here meta means finish or goal line in a race context.

So:

• línea de meta = finish line

Be careful: meta can also mean goal in a more general sense, depending on context. For example:

• Mi meta es aprender español. = My goal is to learn Spanish.

But in sports or racing, meta very often refers to the finish.

In this sentence, podio means the podium or winners' platform used in sports events.

It is a masculine noun:

• el podio

In sports contexts in Spain, this is the normal word for the place where the top athletes stand for medals or awards.

They have written accents because Spanish spelling rules require them.

• está has an accent to show the stress falls on the last syllable: es-TÁ
• línea has an accent to break what might otherwise be read as a diphthong and to show the stress: LÍ-ne-a

These accents are not optional; they are part of the correct spelling.

Also, está with an accent is the verb form. Without the accent, esta usually means this in modern spelling contexts such as esta carrera.

Yes, to some extent.

The given sentence is the most straightforward:

• El podio está cerca de la línea de meta.

But you could also say:

• La línea de meta está cerca del podio.

That means almost the same thing, but the focus changes slightly. The first sentence is mainly about the podium. The second is mainly about the finish line.

Spanish word order is flexible, but the original version is the most neutral and natural if you want to talk about where the podium is.

Yes, but the meaning changes slightly.

• cerca de = near
• al lado de = next to / beside
• junto a = next to / right by

So:

• El podio está cerca de la línea de meta. = The podium is near the finish line.
• El podio está al lado de la línea de meta. = The podium is next to the finish line.

If you only mean general closeness, cerca de is the safest choice.

Yes, línea de meta is a very common and natural way to say finish line in Spain, especially in sports and racing contexts.

You may also hear related expressions like:

• la meta = the finish line
• línea de llegada = arrival line / finishing line

But línea de meta is completely standard and very natural here.