Spanish sports stars gather in Teruel for AEPD National Gala
XL National Sports Gala award recipients pose for a group photo. (Photo by AEPD)
TERUEL, September 21, 2021 – Spanish sports stars converged on Teruel on September 20 for the XL National Sports Gala organized by the Spanish Association of Sports Press (AEPD) and the Teruel City Council.
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event, held at the Los Planos de Teruel Pavilion, was a very emotional one as it not only rewarded the best athletes and sports performances of the 2019 and 2020 seasons - including the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games that held in 2021 - but also paid a befitting tribute to athletes and journalists who passed away during the pandemic.
Broadcast live on Teledeporte and presented by journalists Blanca Benlloch and Jesús Álvarez, the ceremony also honoured the tireless efforts of essential workers during the pandemic. The Gala should have been held in March 2020 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Immense applause preceded the announcement of the first award recipient of the event, Susana Rodríguez, the visually impaired doctor and Paralympic athlete who won gold in triathlon at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Rodriguez combined caring for COVID-19 patients with preparing herself for the Paralympics.
Four-time Olympic medallist Mireia Belmonte, the first Spanish woman to win a gold medal in swimming at an Olympic Games (Rio 2016), as well as taekwondo athlete Adriana Cerezo and climber Alberto Ginés, who won silver and gold respectively at Tokyo 2020, were recognized with awards sponsored by the president of the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE), Alejandro Blanco.
The European titles of the Spanish Under-21 Men’s Football Team in 2019, the Spanish Men’s Handball Team in 2020, the Spanish Women’s Water Polo Team in 2020 and the Davis Cup team that won a 6th salad bowl for Spain in 2019, were recognized by the AEPD. In attendance to witness this were; Luis Fuente, the men’s U-21 football coach, Francisco Blázquez, president of the Royal Spanish Handball Federation (Rfebm) and the water polo players Anni Espar, Clara Espar, Judith Forca and Pili Peña.
In football, Sevilla were awarded for adding another Europa League title to their trophy cabinet; Real Madrid for winning the League in 2020; Real Sociedad for the 2020 King’s Cup; Valencia for the 18-19 Cup and FC Barcelona for the 18-19 League. Another winning team was Teruel Volleyball Club, for becoming champions of the 2019 League, the Cup in 2020 and the Super Cup in 2019 and 2020.
The Sports Medicine award went to traumatologists Pedro Ripoll and Mariano de Prado; while the Sports Values award was reserved for the ambitious project “Reminiscence: Football against Alzheimer's” designed by former football players such as Fernando Giner, Roberto Solozábal and Juan Mari Zorriqueta.
Karatekas Damián Quintero and Sandra Sánchez were awarded together with their coach Jesús del Moral. Also, Badminton Carolina Marín and her coach, Fernando Rivas were awarded.
Other award recipients include: the president of the Spanish Paralympic Committee, Miguel Carballeda; Santi Nolla, director of Mundo Deportivo; retired high jumper Ruth Beitia; former basketball player Felipe Reyes; retired footballer Iker Casillas; Trinidad Alfonso Foundation, for its support of sport in the midst of the pandemic and the film director José Luis Garci.
The lifetime achievement award went to Jesús García Bragado, who participated in his eighth consecutive Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Other legendary athletes awarded were: Ángela Pumariega (sailing), Mayte Zúñiga (Spanish athlete), Joana Pastrana (boxer), Javier Lozano (athlete), Beatriz Ferrer-Salat (rider), Thaïs Henríquez (artistic swimmer) ), Javier Fernández (skating), Fernando Arcega (basketball), Javier Moracho (athlete), Luis María Garriga (athlete), Mercedes Fuertes (handball), Alejandra Quereda (gymnastics), Anabel Medina (tennis player), David Cal (canoeing) , Sofía Toro (sailing), Abel Antón (athletics), Juan Antonio Corbalán (basketball), Lourdes Mohedano (gymnastics), José Manuel Moreno Periñán (cycling) and Herminio Menéndez (canoeing).
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event, held at the Los Planos de Teruel Pavilion, was a very emotional one as it not only rewarded the best athletes and sports performances of the 2019 and 2020 seasons - including the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games that held in 2021 - but also paid a befitting tribute to athletes and journalists who passed away during the pandemic.
Broadcast live on Teledeporte and presented by journalists Blanca Benlloch and Jesús Álvarez, the ceremony also honoured the tireless efforts of essential workers during the pandemic. The Gala should have been held in March 2020 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Immense applause preceded the announcement of the first award recipient of the event, Susana Rodríguez, the visually impaired doctor and Paralympic athlete who won gold in triathlon at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Rodriguez combined caring for COVID-19 patients with preparing herself for the Paralympics.
Four-time Olympic medallist Mireia Belmonte, the first Spanish woman to win a gold medal in swimming at an Olympic Games (Rio 2016), as well as taekwondo athlete Adriana Cerezo and climber Alberto Ginés, who won silver and gold respectively at Tokyo 2020, were recognized with awards sponsored by the president of the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE), Alejandro Blanco.
The European titles of the Spanish Under-21 Men’s Football Team in 2019, the Spanish Men’s Handball Team in 2020, the Spanish Women’s Water Polo Team in 2020 and the Davis Cup team that won a 6th salad bowl for Spain in 2019, were recognized by the AEPD. In attendance to witness this were; Luis Fuente, the men’s U-21 football coach, Francisco Blázquez, president of the Royal Spanish Handball Federation (Rfebm) and the water polo players Anni Espar, Clara Espar, Judith Forca and Pili Peña.
In football, Sevilla were awarded for adding another Europa League title to their trophy cabinet; Real Madrid for winning the League in 2020; Real Sociedad for the 2020 King’s Cup; Valencia for the 18-19 Cup and FC Barcelona for the 18-19 League. Another winning team was Teruel Volleyball Club, for becoming champions of the 2019 League, the Cup in 2020 and the Super Cup in 2019 and 2020.
The Sports Medicine award went to traumatologists Pedro Ripoll and Mariano de Prado; while the Sports Values award was reserved for the ambitious project “Reminiscence: Football against Alzheimer's” designed by former football players such as Fernando Giner, Roberto Solozábal and Juan Mari Zorriqueta.
Karatekas Damián Quintero and Sandra Sánchez were awarded together with their coach Jesús del Moral. Also, Badminton Carolina Marín and her coach, Fernando Rivas were awarded.
Other award recipients include: the president of the Spanish Paralympic Committee, Miguel Carballeda; Santi Nolla, director of Mundo Deportivo; retired high jumper Ruth Beitia; former basketball player Felipe Reyes; retired footballer Iker Casillas; Trinidad Alfonso Foundation, for its support of sport in the midst of the pandemic and the film director José Luis Garci.
The lifetime achievement award went to Jesús García Bragado, who participated in his eighth consecutive Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Other legendary athletes awarded were: Ángela Pumariega (sailing), Mayte Zúñiga (Spanish athlete), Joana Pastrana (boxer), Javier Lozano (athlete), Beatriz Ferrer-Salat (rider), Thaïs Henríquez (artistic swimmer) ), Javier Fernández (skating), Fernando Arcega (basketball), Javier Moracho (athlete), Luis María Garriga (athlete), Mercedes Fuertes (handball), Alejandra Quereda (gymnastics), Anabel Medina (tennis player), David Cal (canoeing) , Sofía Toro (sailing), Abel Antón (athletics), Juan Antonio Corbalán (basketball), Lourdes Mohedano (gymnastics), José Manuel Moreno Periñán (cycling) and Herminio Menéndez (canoeing).
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