Sport is part of Huelva’s heritage and as such it must be safeguarded and promoted, according to the mayor, Gabriel Cruz, who assures that we must “disseminate this unique heritage that characterizes us and also take advantage of it as one of our great strengths of the present and the future“, highlighting the World Badminton Championship played in December 2021 and the recent Copa del Rey de Tenis as two of the big bets of the City Council.
In an interview granted to Europa Press, Cruz pointed out that, in the “thriving city” model for which the City Council “is fighting”, “it is also deeply rooted, with the strong commitment that is being made to position Huelva as national capital in those aspects in which we are powerful”, as is the case of gastronomy, culture and sports, “as has been demonstrated by hosting in 2021 the Badminton World Cup, the most important sporting event in the history of Huelva”.
“A golden opportunity where we show the world all the attractions offered by this unique and special city. This sports-loving land, which is the national cradle of football and tennis and has a deep link with badminton with strongholds like Carolina Marín. Undoubtedly, an event of this magnitude contributed to reactivating the city and giving it an unprecedented prominence”, he stressed.
For this reason, he emphasized that sport “must continue to be a fundamental pillar in the projection of Huelva” and he has also given as an example another sporting event that “places Huelva”, such as the 97th edition of the Copa del Rey de Tenis, “which has been historic”.
“I feel especially proud and satisfied that the City Council has become the main sponsor of this event this yearand we have done so convinced that the time had come to give it a definitive boost, a leap in quality that will consolidate the event as one of the main references in national competitions”, he added.
In this sense, he pointed out that from the City Council they want the Copa del Rey de Tenis, “walk to its 100th anniversary with a jump that contributes to the promotion of Huelva through the deanery of tennis“, after “saving many vicissitudes, with much effort”, as well as showing her desire that Huelva society “support her”.
“Sport has historically had an enormous value in Huelvaand the people of Huelva have to safeguard and spread this unique heritage that characterizes us and also take advantage of it as one of the great strengths of the present and the future”, he reiterated.
For this reason, he stressed that from the City Council “there will always be a firm commitment to sport” and because the capital “continues to host important sporting events on a permanent and punctual basis”. “Tournaments and competitions that come to Huelva thanks to the excellent work of the clubs, to a quiet but effective involvement, which keeps the sport alive and thriving,” he added.
Likewise, he recalled that Huelva also recently hosted the women’s football match between the teams of Spain and Australia and has reviewed some of the events held: a badminton World Cup, a badminton European Championship, the promotion phase of the EBA League to the LEB Plata, the European Triathlon Cup or the II Phase of the National Beach Soccer League” .
“But I want to emphasize that, above all, the City Council bets on sport from the base with 20 municipal schools and more than 550 students, because we believe that we have to inculcate from childhood the habits of practicing sports and make available to our young people the modern, comfortable and dignified facilities that they deserve and that respond to the needs of the neighborhood and continue advancing in the commitment to improve, qualify and equip the city’s sports facilities to promote grassroots sports among minors from Huelva”, he stated.
At this point, he has detailed the actions undertaken to enhance the value of sports facilities, such as the rehabilitation of the soccer fields of Los Rosales, Pérez Cubillas and El Torrejón; the rehabilitation of sports courts in the neighborhood of Carmen; the refurbishment of the sports courts in Plaza Andévalo and the refurbishment of the Diego Lobato sports center, among others.
He also recalled the works carried out in the Carolina Marín Sports Palace and the entrances that were prepared for the World Cup; the creation of sports courts in Federico Mayothe new skatepark Parque Moret or the bio-healthy circuits in Parque Moret and neighborhoods.
