The Tokyo Games, stars at the AEPD Journalists Gala

Olympians and Paralympians who participated in games in tokyo which took place in 2021 are special stars of XLI National Sports Galawho organized the Spanish Sports Press Association (AEPD) and took place this Monday at Dos Hermanas Velodrome (Seville).

The gala, which was attended by the president of the Higher Sports Council (CSD), Jose Manuel Francoand presented by journalists Blanca Benlloch Y Jesus Alvareznational canoeing was also featured in a special way for its achievements in 2021 and this year, such as world champions paddlers Patricia Coco and María Corbera (C-2 200) and Marcus Cooper and Rodrigo Germade (K -2 500).

The event was attended by other paddlers such as Maialen Chourrauti, Teresa Portela, Saúl Craviotto, Carlos Arévalo, accompanied by coach Miguel García and the president of the Royal Spanish Canoeing Federation, Javier Hernanz.

Other world champions have also been recognized on this course, such as the karate fighter María Torres and the sailors Silvia Mas and Patricia Cantero (sailing 470) or the boxer Kiko Martínez, who shared the spotlight on medalists from the Tokyo Games.

The gala, as announced by the president of the AEPD, Julián Redondo, will come the year after the Games, where a relevant recognition of the Spanish participation in Tokyo is mandated, where the national delegation has gathered of 17 Olympic medals and another 53 Paralympic.

So, in the case of the Paralympics, the awards to swimmers Teresa Perales, Michelle Alonso, Marta Fernández, Nuria Marqués, Antoni Ponce, Miguel Luque and Iñigo Llopis; the athletes Adiaratou Iglesias, Gerard Descarrega and their guide Guillermo Rojo, Héctor Cabrera, Yassine Ouhdadi, Kim López, Miriam Martínez and Noel Martín (Christian Venge guide); the cyclist Noel Martín or the triathlete Alejandro Sánchez Palomero.

Among the Olympians, the canoeists Maialen Chourraut, Teresa Portela, Saúl Craviotto or Carlos Arévalo were awarded; karate fighter Damián Quintero; the women’s water polo team; the men’s national handball and soccer teams; and cyclist David Valero (off-road bike).

Also in the sport of cycling there are references to former professional road runners Perico Delgado and Carlos Sastre and to the historic doctors of the Vuelta a España: Fernando Astorqui, Juan María Irigoyen and Txomin Grande, and the current Mikel Martínez.

Former soccer player and former coach Juan Carlos Unzué, who suffers from ALS, for his part, had a great role in the event, where he received an award from his professional colleague and former coach José Antonio Camacho, as well as Atlético midfielder from Madrid Virginia Torrecilla, Atlético de Madrid itself, Villarreal and Barcelona Feminine.

AEPD also recognized boxer Javier Castillejo, double world champion in super welterweight and middleweight, for his career; and with his ‘Superación’ tribute to tennis player Carla Suárez; and paid tribute to the Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM) for its support of athletes, such as Olympic high jump champion Ruth Beitia; world walking record holder Miguel Ángel López; the world champion in 800 meters Mariano García or the Olympic champion in canoeing David Cal.

The big surprise came when Canarian swimmer Thais Enríquez, a two-time Olympian and member of the Spanish synchronized team, dared to go on stage and sing the song ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon, in an act closed by the Nazarene singer . Manuel Lombo and where it was announced that the AEPD 2023 Sports Gala will be held in La Nucía (Alicante).

After the gala, the program of sports journalists in Dos Hermanas includes attending a horse show at the Hippodrome in this Sevillian city, which will also host the 58th edition of the National Sports Press Congress on Tuesday.