2022 reaches its sunset and with it comes the time of past-due balances, promises for the immediate future and, of course, wishes for a better next year than the one still in force. National sports also belong to this equation, indivisibly, which, despite the discomfort resulting from the most relevant sporting event of the course -the recent World Cup in Qatar-, presents a series of names that burst into the international arena. Without further ado, these are the revelation athletes of 2022.
Tennis
Carlos Alcaraz
Despite the fact that his name already sounded strong last year, when he won his first professional titles, in this 2022 the teenager Carlos Alcaraz (El Palmar, 2003) definitely exploded. The Murcian won two 1,000 Masters (Miami and Madrid), lifted the US Open and (at 19 years, four months and seven days) became the youngest tennis player in history to be number one on the ATP circuit; a merit that he still holds. Without any doubt, Alcaraz has been the absolute protagonist of the tennis season.
Another very young Spanish tennis player who has shone in 2022 is Martín Landaluce (Madrid, 2006). Winner of the junior US Open, the new pupil of the Nadal Academy exudes quality. Write down his name.
Football
Pablo Paez Gavira ‘Gavi’
The Spanish defeat in the round of 16 of the World Cup against Morocco did not tarnish the great tournament -and the enormous season- of Gavi (Los Palacios, 2004); a boy who took ownership in Barcelona’s midfield last year and surprised the old continent at just 18 years old.
An indispensable man in Xavi’s Barça and in Luis Enrique’s Spain, his early emergence had such an impact that he was individually awarded the Kopa trophy and the Golden Boy; two awards that recognized him as the best young player in the world in 2022.
Football
Salma Paralluelo
World champion under-20 in August and best player in the final by scoring a double against Japan, Salma Paralluelo (Zaragoza, 2003) is already a fixture in the senior team after the Las Rozas mutiny; She was even selected for the last Euro Cup, but an injury kept her from the English event. Finally, in November, she scored three goals in her debut against Argentina.
The young attacker combined football with athletics – where she was several times champion of Spain in 400 meters in lower categories, in addition to owning several national records – until this summer, when Barcelona knocked on her door after an excellent season finale in the Villarreal. At the moment, in one of the best teams in Europe, she is not doing badly at all: she has five goals in eleven games.
Athletics
Mariano Garcia
2022 has been a dream year for middle-distance runner Mariano García (Fuente Álamo, 1997). The Murcian surprised the athletics ecosystem by proclaiming himself champion in 800 meters at the World Indoor Track Championships in Belgrade held in May. However, after his intercontinental success, he continued to rise: after a brief break in the Spanish championships in pursuit of Álvaro de Arriba, García returned to the top of the podium in the 800 meters at the European Championships in Munich in August. .
Also on an ascending line is the sprinter Asier Martínez (Pamplona, 2000), who was champion of Spain, gold in Munich and bronze in the Eugene World Cup in the 110-meter hurdles during his takeoff.
Cycling
Juan Ayuso
If national cycling has recovered a minimum of enthusiasm, it is because of guys like Juan Ayuso (Barcelona, 2002). The young rider from the UAE, as a prelude to his gigantic season, got his first professional victory at the Getxo Circuit. A month later, at his debut in the Vuelta a España, he was third overall and became the second-earliest cyclist in history to stand on the podium in one of the three grand tours.
Together with the Catalan prodigy, Carlos Rodríguez (Spanish road champion and seventh place in the Vuelta) and Raúl García Pierna (Spanish time trial champion) lead the new batch of Spanish riders.
swing basket
Santi Aldama
Since Pau Gasol won the ‘Rookie of the year’ in the NBA in 2021, no Spaniard had signed a start of as high a level as Santiago Aldama (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 2001) in the best basketball league in the world. After being chosen in the thirtieth position of the 2021 Draft by the Mamphis Grizzlies after excelling in North American college basketball, Aldama shines in his second season in Tennessee.
Faithful squire of the mighty Ja Morant, the Canarian power forward averages 10 points and more than 5 rebounds per game in the best season in years for a franchise where Pau and Marc are legends.
swing basket
Alberto Diaz
Following this tour in the world of the basket, it is necessary to highlight one of the main people responsible for the Spanish men’s team being proclaimed European champion for the fourth time in its history last summer. He is Alberto Díaz (Málaga, 1994), he plays for his hometown team, Unicaja, and together with other boys unknown to the general public -such as Joel Parra or Jaime Pradilla- he guided Scariolo’s team to the brilliant and unexpected title for the poor quality of the squad compared to past tournaments.
The Andalusian replaced the injured Llull in the list for the Eurbasket and, from the beginning of the tournament, he was the absolute protagonist of the Spanish defense. Especially noteworthy was his work against Germany in the semifinals and against France in the final.
Motorcycling
Be Guevara
Time passes and Spain continues to lead the world’s main motorcycling powers. Since 2008 there has always been a Spanish champion between Moto GP, Moto 2 and Moto 3; and this 2022 has not been an exception. Izan Guevara (Palma de Mallorca, 2004) in his second year in Moto 3, comfortably won the world title after winning seven races and getting on 12 podiums. His future looks dazzling and next season he will take a logical step in his fledgling career: the man from the Aspar Team will ride in Moto 2.
In that same displacement, the intermediate, Augusto Fernández (Madrid, 1997) took over the championship in his sixth season in the category. In 2023, he will compete in Moto GP.
Snowboard
Queralt Castellet
The inclusion in this list of a renowned and internationally recognized professional like Queralt Castellet (Sabadell, 1989), with an extensive list of achievements in the world of snowboarding, would seem out of place. However, the silver medal that the Catalan won at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics make her one of the revelations of the year. At 33 years old, after a long career dotted with personal ups and downs, Castellet won the silver medal in her favorite modality, the halfpipe, in her fifth Games.
This success, achieved in February, meant the fifth medal in the Winter Olympic Games in the history of the Spanish delegation and the only one in Beijing 2022. Also, together with the canoeist Carlos Arévalo, double gold medalist in the last World Cup in Canada, The one from Sabadell was recently awarded by the Spanish Olympic Committee as the best athlete of the year. And, as she herself has confirmed, her desire is to participate in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo 2026.
