Spanish basketball player Laia Palau, an absolute international for 19 years, will receive the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Sports Merit after the Council of Ministers, at the proposal of the Minister of Culture and Sports, Miquel Iceta, approved the granting of said recognition.
Palau (Barcelona, 1979) will be decorated with the highest recognition of the State in regard to sport as recognition of his career and for having been a “distinguished figure in the practice of sport.” The former captain of the national team and currently a member of the UNI Girona ranks announced last November her retirement from the Spanish basketball team, which she captained for seven years (2014-2021).
The Catalan played her last meeting with the national team last August, the quarterfinal match of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in which Spain lost to France (67-64), and said goodbye as the player with the most matches wearing that red jersey -a total of 314- and as the one who has been on the podium the most times with the national team.
In addition, he accumulates a copious record of twelve medals with the selection consisting of three gold, one silver and four bronze medals in the European Women’s Basketball Championship; one silver and two bronzes at the World Cup; and a silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
At the club level, the 42-year-old athlete, winner of six Spanish leagues and two Euroleague, He has defended the colors of the CBF Universitat de Barcelona, Bourges Basket (France), Ros Casares Valencia, CCC Polkowice (Poland), ZVVZ USK Prague (Czech Republic) and at UNI Girona.
Palau will pick up the baton from Pau Gasol, the last athlete recognized with this award, and joins other great names in national sport such as Rafa Nadal, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario or Xavi Hernández.
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