The President of the Spanish Olympic Committee highlights his alliance with the UCAM on receiving the International Olympic Order
At the Spanish Olympic Committee Gala, attended by the presidents of the Spanish Olympic Committee, the Spanish Government and the UCAM, athletes who shone in Paris were recognised.
Universidad Católica de Murcia had a prominent presence at the 19th Gala of the Spanish Olympic Committee, an event that celebrated the successes of Spanish athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Represented by María Dolores García, UCAM President; Pablo Rosique, UCAM Sports Director; María and Isabel Mendoza, members of the Board of Trustees of the Fundación Universitaria San Antonio, and David Cal, five-time Olympic medallist and member of the UCAM Sports Service, the institution demonstrated its commitment to elite sport and its alliance with the Spanish Olympic Committee.
Among the award winners were numerous UCAM athletes who shone at the recent Olympic Games in Paris: María Pérez, double Olympic medallist in walking; Ayoub Ghadfa, silver in boxing; Bea Ortiz and Nona Pérez, gold in water polo; Abel Serdio, bronze in handball; and the entire Spanish K4 which also took bronze (Saúl Craviotto, Rodrigo Germade, Marcus Cooper and Carlos Arévalo). In addition, the special recognition El Corazón de España (The Heart of Spain) was awarded to Saúl Craviotto, Spain's top Olympic medallist, and Carolina Marín, figures closely linked to the UCAM.
Special recognition for Alejandro Blanco
The ceremony, held in the Goyeneche Auditorium, was attended by prominent authorities, including the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez; the President of the International Olympic Committee and Doctor Honoris Causa of the UCAM, Thomas Bach; and the President of the Spanish Olympic Committee, Alejandro Blanco.
One of the emotional moments of the evening came with Thomas Bach's speech, in which he announced the awarding of the Olympic Order of the Spanish Olympic Committee to Alejandro Blanco for his ‘outstanding merit in favour of sport and loyalty to the Olympic ideal expressed by Pierre de Coubertin’. In his speech, Blanco highlighted the great role played by Spanish athletes in Paris and recalled the importance of his alliance with UCAM and the opening of its university campus in Torrejón de Ardoz for the 2025/26 academic year.
The gala was attended by other UCAM athletes such as Mireia Belmonte, Lydia Valentín, Adriana Cerezo, Damián Quintero and Ray Zapata, who have left their mark on the history of Spanish Olympism.
UCAM Murcia stands out in the Sports Merit Awards of the Region of Murcia
In parallel, the Gala del Deporte de la Región de Murcia (Regional Sports Gala) was held at the Hotel Nelva in Murcia, where the Regional Government, in collaboration with the Regional Association of the Sports Press, recognised the best teams, athletes and coaches of the past year. On a night to remember, UCAM Murcia CB (Basketball Club) won the award for Best Sporting Achievement for their runner-up finish in the Endesa League and Sito Alonso, coach of the Murcia team, won the award for Best Coach.