Swimmer Diogo Ribeiro was elected Male Athlete of 2023, with cyclist Maria Martins being chosen in the female category. The best athletes of the year were recognized on Friday night, during the Sports Gala in which football and canoeing ‘tied’ for awards.
The event organized by the Portuguese Sports Confederation (CDP) ‘moved’ from the Casino Estoril to the Carlos Lopes Pavilion, precisely the great honoree of the night – he received the Sports Merit-High Prestige award -, changed ‘outfits’ and dates , but maintained the tradition of honoring the best in the sport, among whom were also Hélio Lucas, in the Coach category (he has been Fernando Pimenta’s right-hand man for many years), and Norberto Mourão (Adapted Sports), both representatives of canoeing , in addition to the women’s football team (Team of the Year) and footballer João Neves (Jovem Promessa).
At 19 years old, Diogo Ribeiro makes his debut among the winners in the Male Athlete category, beating big names: canoeist Fernando Pimenta, winner of the previous edition and who won 13 medals in 2023, including three gold medals in World Speed and marathon; footballer Bernardo Silva, English, European and world champion with Manchester City; and cyclists Iúri Leitão, omnium world champion, and João Almeida, third placed in the Tour of Italy.
“I would like to thank everyone who supported me for the award”, began by saying the current world champion in the 50 and 100 meter butterfly, who was competing for the distinction of Male Athlete of 2023 with the silver won in the 50 meter butterfly at the Fukuoka2023 World Championships, before revealing that he almost couldn’t “arrive in time” to receive the award, because he was training.
If the choice of the ‘prodigy’ Diogo Ribeiro was expected, that of Maria Martins surprised, with the European scratch champion being elected Female Athlete of 2023 against last year’s winner, Auriol Dongmo, European indoor shot put champion , to canoeist Teresa Portela, European champion in K2 200 meters mixed, to gymnast Filipa Martins, who achieved her third qualification for the Olympic Games, and to footballer Francisca ‘Kika’ Nazareth, who was part of the women’s team that qualified for the first time for a World Cup.
“I’m very surprised, very honestly. I want to say a word of thanks to my team, who has always been with me. I could be listing them, but they know who they are”, declared ‘Tata’ Martins, with the Portuguese pisard becoming emotional in her speech.
Among those nominated for Coach of the Year, Hélio Lucas, coach with the most European and world titles and medals in Portuguese canoeing, was preferred, to the detriment of selectors Alberto Silva (swimming), Gabriel Mendes (track cycling), Paulo Jorge Pereira ( handball) and Francisco Neto (women’s football team).
“For me, it was an honor to be nominated once again. I confess that I wasn’t expecting anything”, Lucas admitted.
Canoeing, in fact, was doubly awarded, as paracanoeist Norberto Mourão, European runner-up in VL2, was chosen in the Adapted Sport category. The other nominees were swimmers Diogo Cancela and Vicente Pereira, judoka Miguel Vieira and Carla Silva Oliveira (boccia).
Football also left the Carlos Lopes Pavilion, in Lisbon, with two awards: Team of the Year and Young Promise, awarded, respectively, to the women’s team that won the unprecedented qualification for the World Championships, and to midfielder João Neves, from Benfica.
The women’s football team, which fell in the group stage in its debut at the World Cup, outperformed canoeists João Ribeiro and Messias Batista, world champions in K2 500 meters, the senior ‘all around’ trampoline gymnastics team, vice- world champion, to cyclists Ivo Oliveira and Iúri Leitão, who won an unprecedented gold in the Milton stage of the Track Nations Cup in the Olympic discipline in Madison, and to the figure skating duo Ana Walgode and Pedro Walgode, world and European champions in the category of dancing couples.
“It’s an award that says a lot to a group of players who represent a generation”, highlighted coach Francisco Neto, praising the affirmation of women’s sport through the visibility achieved by its group of “very ambitious” players who “had no barriers”.
João Neves, aged 19 – and who was absent from the ceremony -, overcame competition from cyclist António Morgado, runner-up under-23 world distance champion, triathlete João Nuno Batista, junior world champion, and skateboarder Diogo Madu Teixeira , fourth at the European Youth Olympic Festival, and handball player Diogo Rêma, FC Porto goalkeeper and international for the national team.
The 27th Sports Gala ended with a tribute to Carlos Lopes, distinguished with the Alto Prestígio Award, the entity’s highest distinction, in the year that marks 40 years since he became Olympic champion in the marathon in Los Angeles in 1984 – the Portugal’s first gold at the Olympic Games.
“I think it was worth all the sacrifices I made throughout my career”, he confided to the audience, after, in a recorded message, defending that “the country needs people who think about sport seriously”.
With Lusa
