MADRID, 31 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Spanish sport experienced a great year at the level of international successes of clubs and national teams, with prominence for Real Madrid, the men’s basketball team, the two water polo teams and the ‘Hispanics’, which were some of the many that shone in this 2022.
The Madrid team closed the year with a smile after once again reigning in Europe with the conquest of their fourteenth Champions League, when they did not have much among the main contenders.
However, after comebacks at the Santiago Bernabéu, against French PSG in the round of 16 and the one remembered against Manchester City in the semifinals, with two goals in one minute, the goals of Karim Benzema and also drama like the one experienced in the quarterfinals against Chelsea, Carlo Ancelotti’s team reached the final in Paris and there they knocked down English Liverpool again, thanks to a goal from Vinicius and memorable saves from Thibaut Courtois. Months later, they also won the European Super Cup by defeating German Eintracht 2-0.
And one could almost say that it was even more surprising that it was the continental title for the Spanish men’s basketball team, which won a trophy in one of the Eurobaskets with the most potential in its rivals and which came in full transition from its most glorious era after the farewells to the Gasol brothers and with losses due to injury such as Ricky Rubio or, at the last minute, Sergio Llull.
But under the baton of Sergio Scariolo, ‘La Familia’ once again demonstrated its competitive character, that the collective is above individualities and that the Italian’s work with the ‘windows’ team is optimal. Without making too much noise, Spain was winning their games and then was able to save the crosses with comebacks against Lithuania, Finland and Germany. In the final, France was waiting, who took the knee from the initial jump and fell 88-76.
In club competitions, there was no such luck with national representation in the different competitions, although Lenovo Tenerife won their second FIBA Champions League by beating BAXI Manresa 98-87 in the final.
The water polo summer was also outstanding. In just over two months, the men’s and women’s teams had to compete in a World Cup and a European Championship, and the prize was two titles and a third place. The team led by David Martín recovered from the disappointment of not being on the podium and achieved its third world title, the first since 2001, by beating Italy in the final on penalties (14-15), and two months later, in the continental appointment, he could not replicate this success, but he remained on the podium with a valuable bronze. In clubs, Astrapool CN Sabadell won the LEN Eurocup.
For its part, Miki Oca’s women’s national team did not do so well in the World Cup, eliminated by its ‘black beast’ United States, but it got even in the European Championship, once again demonstrating its competitive capacity and reissuing its throne by winning against Greece 9-6. Furthermore, she was also able to win the World League Superfinal for the first time in her history.
The men’s handball team, the ‘Hispanics’, continued their idyll with the podium, although they were unable to make history with their third consecutive continental title. After leaving the almighty Denmark on the road in the semifinals, they fell in the final with Sweden, who won 27-26 thanks to a seven-meter shot with time already up. In the Mediterranean Games, national handball won gold for girls and boys.
They were not the only great successes in handball, which also shone at the club level, especially with Barça, who won the Champions League for the eleventh time after defeating the Dujshebaevs’ Polish Kielce in the final. In addition, Rocasa Gran Canaria won the EHF European Cup.
Futsal contributed its ‘grain of sand’ with another Champions League, that of Barça, which won the fourth in its history against the powerful Sporting de Portugal, and with the European title for the women’s team, while beach soccer gave gold world and continental gold for girls, and another world gold for boys.
The rhythmic team made up of Ana Arnau, Inés Bergua, Valeria Márquez, Mireia Martínez, Patricia Pérez and Salma Solaun won the continental silver in the exercise of three ribbons and two balls and won two bronzes in the World Cup, in the all-around competition and in the five rings exercise.
In the pool, Cristina Arambula, Abril Conesa, Txell Mas, Alisa Ozhogina, IrisTió, Berta Ferreras, Emma García, María Hernández, Paula Ramírez and Blanco Toledano gave a new success to national artistic swimming with the bronze in the ‘highlights’ category ‘ of the World Cup in Budapest.
In addition, the rugby ‘Leonas’ maintained their continental dominance with their ninth title and the women’s roller hockey team was proclaimed runner-up in the world, with the inline hockey team winning gold and, in clubs, HC Generali lifting the trophy of European champions.
Finally, UCAM Cartagena won the European Table Tennis Cup, Egara was champion of the EHL Cup for field hockey, Spain won bronze by teams in the Chess World Cup and Vera Barón, Borja Conejos, Daniel Barón , Nil Benítez and Daniel Cegarra won the fourth consecutive world title in team trials.