MADRID, 29 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Atlético de Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann, the world football champions, the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA), former referee Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz and the town of Arganda del Rey were some of the winners this Monday during the 2023 Awards of the Madrid Sports Press Association (APDM).
The association recognized the great 2023 of several sports figures and teams, including Antoine Griezmann, top scorer and assistant of LaLiga EA Sports in 2023; or the Spanish women's soccer team, for the title won in the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
In addition, the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA) was distinguished for the four gold medals achieved by walkers Álvaro Martín and María Pérez at the World Championships in Budapest in the 20 and 35 kilometer marks; and Real Madrid basketball for their epic Euroleague title.
Dorna Sports was awarded for its management of the Motorcycle World Championship; LaLiga, for its Grada Visitante initiative; and Dr. Juan José García Cota, the former coach and former national selector Vicente del Bosque and the former referee Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz, for their careers.
While the rest of the awards went to the director Víctor Santamaría, distinguished with the Professional Career Award; IFEMA Madrid Horse Week, as the best event of 2023; and the film 'Campeonex', for its social values. Likewise, the APDM also decided to grant a special mention to the Arganda del Rey City Council, after the town was elected European City of Sports 2024.
Among the authorities who attended the gala were the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso; the president of the Higher Sports Council (CSD), José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes; the Infanta Doña Elena de Borbón; the vice mayor of the Madrid City Council, Inmaculada Sanz; the president of the Managing Commission of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Pedro Rocha; and the president of LaLiga, Javier Tebas.
The VIII Annual Gala of the APDM-Premios 2023 was presented by journalists Angie Rigueiro (Antena 3), Ramón Fuentes (Telemadrid) and Alex Silvestre (El Chiringuito) and featured a performance by the musical group La Lola Connection and on this occasion paid tribute to the paper press, without ever going to the detriment of the digital medium, with the installation of a press stand and the subsequent distribution of copies of the main newspapers in Madrid: ABC, El Mundo, El País, La Razón, Marca and AS.
The Annual Gala of the Madrid Sports Press Association is sponsored by Mahou, El Corte Inglés, Unicaja Banco, LALIGA, DKV, Iberdrola and, from this year, Renfe. The purpose of the APDM Awards is to recognize the contribution made in favor of sport by all the agents involved in this activity: athletes, companies, entities, clubs and journalists.
DÍAZ AYUSO: “THE JOURNALIST IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PROFESSION THAT EXISTS”
Isabel Díaz Ayuso was in charge of closing the event after presenting her award to Griezmann, who was absent from the event and who sent her thanks through a video. The regional leader celebrated that “the profession of journalist is without a doubt the most beautiful that exists.” “It is a job as important as eating and in the case of sport it helps us understand it because you make it more exciting if possible, you explain the most difficult rules to us and you cover something as exciting as the world of sports, I work without there wouldn't be so many fans,” he stressed.
The president of the community recalled that she was a “sports journalist for a time”, but that she had “better luck in other jobs”, and that sports journalism “has produced excellent professionals” such as the case of the deceased Pepe Domingo Castaño.
“I also take this opportunity to recognize the written press, the dean, which continues to set the day-to-day agenda. Digitalization has certainly changed our way of relating, of living, also of informing ourselves, but of course I can only wish long life to the written press,” added Díaz Ayuso.
She congratulated all the winners and dedicated some affectionate words to Antoine Griezmann. “I know that today's children will be able to say that in that fashionable Madrid, perhaps more fashionable than ever, they saw an imposing Frenchman play, the top scorer in the history of Atlético,” he remarked, also praising Real Madrid that ” will surprise very soon with the inauguration of the new Bernabéu.”
“Thank you for being that school of values, for making us dream with every goal, with every medal, with every tear on the podium, with our anthem and for uniting from time to time with all Spaniards and look, sometimes it is difficult,” he concluded. the president of the Community of Madrid.