The fifth Gala do Deporte da Coruña ea su Comarca yesterday brought together the main representatives of local sports in a simple and emotional act. Two hours of the A Coruña Olympics in the Ágora, where everyone came out winners. The 17 winners and also the finalists who took the stage with them, even though they were on the verge of achieving this distinction, which has already become a benchmark for sport in A Coruña. In addition to the hope of winning, there were many other things in common among the different finalists, especially the difficulties in having carved out a brilliant career in minority sports disciplines that, in general, do not receive the support they deserve. That was the most repeated message in the interventions of the winners, such as the swimmer Jacob Garrido, who for the fourth time received the award for the best athlete with a disability: “Thanks to LA OPINIÓN for giving continuity to this type of galas in which athletes from lesser-known sports are recognized.”
Humility, hard work and perseverance characterize him and all the winners, examples of what is the essence of sport in its purest form, to which the spotlights generally do not tend to point daily but only when there are great national or international successes. That is why they expressed their emotion and gratitude at the time of receiving their awards. They or their families, like Pedro Arévalo, father of the canoeist Carlos Arévalo, best male athlete for the third year in a row, an award that he could not personally receive when he was in Krakow for the European. His father shed a tear when she picked up the trophy in his name. Miguel Ángel Pérez, the best referee, was also very moved. After a life dedicated to basketball, he wanted to remember “the boys and girls of all sports who are beginning to referee.”
Sport Gala of A Coruña and its Region: María de Valdés, Carlos Arévalo and Jacobo Garrido, the three aces of A Coruña sport
Ukraine in the heart
Two intense hours that began with one of the most moving moments, the standing ovation for the fourteen winners of the sportsmanship award for their social work in welcoming Ukrainian children so that sport serves as an escape valve and, at the same time, helps them in their integration process. Five Ukrainian girls and boys were in charge of delivering the awards a 100tolos, AMI Mountaineering, Coruña Basketball, Coruña Region, Garrapucho, Galicia Rollers, Judo Club Coruña, Judo Hercules, María Barbeito, Orillamar, Milenium Rhythm, Marineda Tennis, Tempo Ximnasia and Zalaeta. The audience gave one of the biggest ovations of the night to all of them. “There is no better way to start a sports awards gala than with this display of greatness”, celebrated the presenter of the event, Alfonso Hermida.
He also got a lot of applause José Carlos Tuñas, who was especially “excited” by his award, since he was not chosen by the jury, but by the readers of LA OPINIÓN. The athletics coach, a great promoter of the Coruña Comarca, received 611 votes out of the 1,743 that reached the newspaper’s website in just four days. “Without the athletes, without their achievements, I would not be here”, he thanked excitedly. A long history of work in defense of athletics, a sacrificed sport, such as canoeing, a discipline in which the Ría de Betanzos has been the cradle of great representatives of Galician and Spanish sports, such as Arévalo himself or the also international Irene Lata and Iván Fernandez. For Betanzos it was one of the most prestigious awards, that of the best club. Its president, David Veiga, recalled the origin of the entity in a “tiny neighborhood.” “We promote grassroots sport because we believe that it is the pillar of everything”, he affirmed.
Among those attending the Gala, some regulars such as the Liceo coach, Juan Copa, whoHe had already been a finalist in the previous edition and now received the award for best coach after having guided the Verdiblanco team to win the OK Liga title in 2022. “It is an individual award, but it has a lot to do with the collective,” he added. It was not the only trophy for the historic roller hockey club. Also for the Liceo was the award for the best team. It is the third time that he has won it, since he lifted it before in 2018 and 2021. Captains César Carballeira and Dava Torres went up to pick him up, who promised to “continue fighting”.
Arsenio and Aguirregabiria
Especially moving were the special mentions for Fani Martinez, Sergio Vazquez and Ignacio Wolf, sports personalities who died in 2022. Applause of remembrance and recognition also for Arsenio Iglesias and Pablo Aguirregabiria, two other sports greats from A Coruña, one from football and the other from handball, who recently lost their lives and whose figures were honored at the gala. For his sons, Antonio Iglesias and Alonso Aguirregabiria, they were two of the loudest ovations of the night. They also received a lot of applause. Luis Suárez, director of Azteca Box, and boxer Dani Moukoko, awarded with a special mention. “What a handsome scene in A Coruña sport, creating very nice synergies between people of different modalities,” Suárez celebrated.
That camaraderie between athletes marked the development of a Gala in which there were also two humorous parentheses, with the sMoc Moc’s empathetic Olympic Games. After the last block of awards ceremony, The event was closed by the mayoress, Inés Rey, who stressed that “A Coruña cannot be understood without sport” because it is “a city that breathes sport at all levels”. Next, all the winners returned to the stage for the family photo that served as the final touch to the Gala.
2023-06-20 21:57:11
#hours #Olimpiada #Coruñesa #Agora
