The city of Dos Hermanas in Seville hosted the National Sports Gala organised

by the Spanish Sports Press Association (AEPD in Spanish) on Monday. At the

event, awards were presented to athletes and clubs which shone in 2021,

especially highlighting the Olympic and Paralympic medallists of Tokyo 2020,

including twenty-three UCAM athletes. In addition, the sports journalists paid a

warm tribute to the Universidad Católica de Murcia, on its 25th anniversary for

its determined and continous support to the world of sport.

José Luis Mendoza, UCAM president, received the award from Julián Redondo,

president of the AEPD, accompanied by a representation of athletes from the

University: Teresa Perales, David Cal, Marcus Cooper, Maialen Chourraut,

Mariano García, Miguel Ángel López, Ruth Beitia, Gerard Descarrega y

Guillermo Rojo. He showed his gratitude in the speech for ‘the great example

athletes are in building a country with values. They reflect the effort and spirit of

dedication and service towards others’, he recalled that ‘this project of our

University is part of the alliance with the Spanish Olympic Committee and its

president, Alejandro Blanco’ and urged ‘institutions to become more involved in

supporting athletes’.

Along these lines, Julián Redondo stated that ‘this twenty-fifth anniversary was

the best opportunity to reward the work done by UCAM and to pay it the tribute

it deserves. The number of athletes it supports is astonishing, with great

champions ranging from Mireia Belmonte to Saúl Craviotto and youngsters such

as Mariano García’.

As the highest authority in the field of sports at the gala, José Manuel Franco,

president of the National Sports Council, stressed that ‘UCAM's commitment is

essential, and even more so in something as important as combining sports and

education. If more institution followed this example, there would be less athletes

with difficulties to enter the labour market at the end of their sport careers. It is

priceless work’.

Other UCAM athletes present at the Gala were Saúl Craviotto, Rodrigo

Germade, Carlos Arévalo, Javier Hernanz (current president of the Royal

Spanish Canoeing Federation), Teresa Portela and María Torres. On behalf of

the UCAM athletes, Craviotto stated that ‘we really appreciate what the

Universidad Católica de Murcia does for us. I cannot picture my sport career

without this university. It has become a backbone of Spanish sports’.