The coach of the Olympic football team, Luis de la Fuente, has been the protagonist of the La Rioja sports gala, which was held this Thursday, in which he stated, that is focused on qualifying Spain for the Paris Games and that he does not consider other objectives, such as one day directing the senior team.
The Riojan Luis de la Fuente, who won with his team the silver medal in the Tokyo 2020 soccer tournament, has been the protagonist of a “recovered” gala to recognize the best of Rioja sport in 2019 and 2020, in which in addition to him they have had a very special role for those who came to the Japanese capital, in different specialties, also in the Paralympic Games.
From the source, before the questions of the host of the gala on his chances of being an absolute selector, has stressed that he has “a great thanks to the Spanish Football Federation” that has set the goal of qualifying Spain for the next Olympic Games “and I focus on that” because “next year is going to be very important for it”.
In addition, he said, “I am also focused on other goals with the Under-21 team” and has acknowledged that his role as coach allows him “to be less worried right now than many colleagues who are in clubs.”
From the source, a native of the town of Haro, has shown his “pride” for having “the recognition of my land” of which “I always carry wine as a flag” although “not for the players”, he joked.
In addition, the athlete Elba Parmo and the olympic shooter Juan Carlos Sánchez of the Granddaughter they have collected the awards as the most outstanding athletes from La Rioja in 2020; the same as the boxer Ghazi Zhalidov -who also went to Tokyo- and the shooter Paula Grande for their 2019 results, in all cases for the national titles in their disciplines and for competing with their national teams.
The Honorable Mention for Sport in La Rioja has gone, along with De la Fuente, to the Olympians: Luis de la Fuente and Álvaro Fernández (football); Pau Quemada (hockey grass); Ghazi Zhalidov (Boxing); Dawn dew (Mountain Bike) and Jorge Soto (cycling team coach)
And also those who went to the Tokyo Paralympic Games: Darío Carreras, coach of the swimming team; Jorge Canseco, physical therapist of the athletics team; Iván Vivaracho, member of the Spanish Paralympic Committee; and Juan Manuel Uruñuela, referee who directed the final of wheelchair basketball.