This Monday the red carpet was rolled out again to celebrate a new edition of the AS Awards at the Neptuno Palace in Madrid, a gala that brings together the best Spanish athletes of the course and which, incidentally, was a memory of solidarity with Valencian sport after the devastating damage. In a most fruitful year, the national team’s Euro Cup and the 18 medals of the Spanish expedition in the Olympic Games seasoned a night where awards and ovations took place.
The award to the men’s soccer team led by Luis de la Fuente, capable of turning teams like Italy, France, Germany and England along the path to the Euro Cup, was extended to three other players: Rodri, who already won the Ball of Gold to be the second Spaniard in history after Luis Suárez, who achieved it 60 years ago; Nico Williams, who also led Athletic to win the Copa del Rey to end a 40-year drought for the club; and . Also with the soccer ball as a tool for glory, other winners were: Real Madrid, which won the double (League and Champions League, in addition to the Super Cup); the women’s FC Barcelona, which had a great season by conquering everything possible with the Super Cup, League, Queen’s Cup and Champions League; and Rayo Vallecano, which blew out the candles after 100 years of existence. Likewise, in futsal the winner is Palma Futsal, which has won the Champions League and the Intercontinental for two consecutive years. As a special award for the clubs affected by the damage, Valencia, Levante and Valencia Basket took home the As Deporte Award positively.
In the motor world there are also several winners, as Jorge Martín recently managed to become the Moto GP World Champion, in the same way that Carlos Sainz won the Dakar at the age of 61, in addition to being the first rider to achieve it. with four different brands. And also on two wheels, although already with pedals, highlight the Slovenian Primoz Roglic, who won the Vuelta España for the fourth time, equaling Roberto Heras’ record.
The Olympic rings also brought with them medals and champions. None like Saúl Craviotto, who became the Spanish athlete with the most medals in Paris after five Games (two gold, two silver and two bronze). Another who dazzled and won gold was Jordan Díaz with the triple jump. But there were more, like Álvaro Martín (individual bronze) and María Pérez, champions in the mixed relay, which makes them the only two Spanish athletes with the triple crown: European, world and Olympic gold. The women’s 3×3 basketball team and the women’s water polo team also triumphed with gold, as did Diego Botín and Florian Trittel in sailing in 49er. And the Olympic men’s team did not fail either after defeating France in the final. The Paralympic Ace Award went to .
Other winners have been Ilia Topuria, who won the UFC champion belt, as well as Rudy Fernández and Sergio Rodríguez, basketball players who won everything possible and retired at the end of the season with Madrid. On the other hand, the Promesas awards went to Paula Ostiz—a runner who was crowned in the European time trial and silver in the distance event at the World Championships in the junior category—and Rafa Jódar, who won the US Open junior.
