MADRID, 27 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The V Gala of Spanish basketball had an emotional evening this Wednesday at the Hipódromo de la Zarzuela in Madrid, where Alberto Díaz, Mariona Ortiz, Izan Almansa, Helena Pueyo, Andrés Feliz, Rudy Fernández, Vega Gimeno and Sergio Rodríguez were recognized.
The annual event organized by the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB) and the Marca newspaper had almost 200 guests, with the presence of the president of the Higher Sports Council (CSD), José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, and the absolute men’s team that in about days he will face the Pre-Olympic in Valencia.
The main protagonists were Alberto Díaz, Mariona Ortiz, Izan Almansa, Helena Pueyo, Andrés Feliz, Rudy Fernández, Vega Gimeno and Sergio Rodríguez, as well as Gracia Alonso, whose award was collected by her partner Sandra Ygueravide.
The president of the FEB, Elisa Aguilar, was in charge of opening the gala. “I was very excited to be here today, it is a special night in which basketball people get together, accompany the winners to recognize their career and then continue chatting, share experiences, join all forces so that our basketball comes out every day stronger,” he said, with special and loving mention of Rudy, Vega and Chacho’.
The first prize of the night was collected by Izan Almansa, recognized as the Young Player with the Greatest Projection. “Very happy and proud to be here and receive this award. Hopefully in a few years I will be where the senior players are now, it is a dream that I hope will come one day,” he said.
Dominican point guard Andrés Feliz took home two awards: the Best Play of the Year and the International Award. The Best Basket of the Season in women’s competition was by Gracia Alonso, who put Spain 3×3 in the Olympic Games.
In addition, the award for the Young Player with the Greatest Projection went to Helena Pueyo, and the next to take the stage was Mariona Ortiz, chosen as the Best National Player of the season. “I feel very comfortable in Zaragoza, it has been a turning point in my career. And now I have the dream of being in Paris,” she said.
Meanwhile, the captain of Unicaja, Alberto Díaz, was the Best National Player of the season. “This year has been very nice for Malaga sport, let’s hope it repeats itself. We have a very nice project and we want to continue. Thank you very much for remembering me in this award, but an award is always a team award, it makes me very happy for my team and my colleagues,” he said.
The first Special Award of the night was collected by Sergio Rodríguez, who recently announced his retirement. “It has been a process, thoughtful but overwhelmed, this week I have received many calls from people I appreciate and thank. It has been a pleasure, I have had a good time, I hope they remember me as a player that I have enjoyed and worked for. win. Thank you all very much,” said the canary.
Vega Gimeno, another illustrious international who announced her retirement, was next. “I hope it was the right decision. Being an Olympian is the dream you had as a child, it seemed far away but I’m going to be one. When I started in 3×3 I wasn’t even an Olympian, and I’m happy to end my career in this game that I love so much. And now that you’re going to the Games, you’re going to win, everything is possible, why not, we’re going with our DNA,” she said.
The final point of the gala was put by Rudy Fernández, captain of the national team. “Now we are in preparation, the ambition has to be total and the boys are prepared. For me, playing in this Pre-Olympic and fighting to be in Paris is Fernández’s DNA, what our father instilled in us. We know the difficulty but we have the commitment “, he noted, confident of being in his sixth Games.
The president of the CSD was in charge of saying goodbye to the evening. “I want to express feelings that this event provokes. First, gratitude to Elisa and Juancho for having invited me, whenever I come to a basketball event it is wonderful,” said Rodríguez Uribes, who congratulated the winners and highlighted “the legacy” left by the Rudy, Vega and ‘Chacho’. “The CSD is fully committed to basketball. Thank you all very much,” he concluded.