Carlos Arevalo and Quiralt Castellet, Best Athletes by the Spanish Olympic Committee

canoe Carlos Arevalowinner of two gold medals at the last World Cup in Canada, and a figure skater Queralt CastelletThe silver medal winner at the recent Winter Olympics in Beijing on Wednesday was honored with awards The best athletes At the ceremony of the Spanish Olympic Committee.

Carlos Arevalo was disqualified from the Rio Olympics and I thought of giving up rowingAs for. He joined the Spanish Armed Forces, where he held a position in Infantry Regiment No. 3 in Cabo Noval (Asturias), and his determination earned him a place in the Tokyo Gamesin which B. won silver With the K4 500, the same boat in which he won gold this year at the World Cup in Canada, in which he also won the same metal in the K1 200.

“In sports, discipline is an important thing and there too value chain Which I earned in the armed forces and I must admit. I want to especially mention my coach, Miguel García, who is often in the shadows and who plays an important role,” said Arevalo.

Queralt Castellet, in his fifth Olympic participation, pinned a medal Silver in a halfpipe on ice in Beijingbeing the fifth medal in history for Spain at the Winter Olympics.

“There is a big difference between what you dream about, once achieved, and what is achieved. You can imagine it, believe it, but until it happens, nothing can compare with that feeling of winning an Olympic medal,” admitted Keralt.

Miria BelmonteOlympic swimming champion in the 200 butterfly, said, upon receiving the ‘Special COE’ award, which she shared with the canoe Saul Cravioto“very excited about being able to get to Paris and enjoy” her fifth Games.

“you look like unattainable personality. Not everyone managed to go to that number. I will go step by step because it seems far but it is also close,” he commented.

The former athlete from Cantabria Ruth BettyThe Olympic high jump champion at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games received the “Legend” award.

said Petya, who received the award at the same time as him David Calwho between 2004 and 2012 won five Olympic medals in rowing, including the gold medal in Athens in the C1 100m.

“It is a pleasure and an honor to be considered legend. I dedicate this award to all the people who stood behind it,” Cale said.

Guinness, Cerezo, Palau, Sanchez…

Other award recipients Alberto Genisand Olympic champion in Tokyo in climbing. Adriana Cerezo, silver medalist in taekwondo also in Tokyo; Spain’s men’s water polo and women’s ice hockey teams.

Laya Palauwho this year ended her career as a professional player after winning 33 titles and playing 314 times with the national team, won the award for the best career in the women’s category, while in the men’s category the award went to a motocross racer. Tony Boowhose record includes 32 world titles.

“It’s not hard for me to keep training and competing because it’s my passion. I’m pushing my limits, I feel it, I enjoy it and the injuries respect me, so they keep going until my body can handle it,” he said. father.

Sandra SanchezOlympic Karate Champion in Tokyo 2020, received the Women’s Values ​​Award for her career and Raul EntreusWho retired as a handball player after the last games as captain of the Spanish national team and 294 official matches in the red jersey.

“Every time one gets more accommodating, you miss things from the player’s life, but now I enjoy other things. World Cup in January I see with peace of mind that the team is going to compete and has a team to get to the top,” said Intrius.

Pioneer Awards are recognized Mary Paz Corominaswho, at the age of 16 at the 68th Olympic Games in Mexico, managed to reach the final in the 200-meter backstroke, Emilio de Villotawho competed in 14 official races as a Formula 1 driver between 1976 and 1982.

Aragonese swimmer Teresa Peraleswinner of 27 medals in six Paralympic Games, took home the Overcoming Award in the female category, while in the winning male category Juan diedwho had a stroke in 2020 and whose life she saved after surgery, when it barely gave him a 1% chance of living.

“We will always have Paris”

“I managed to improve myself to inherit the Olympic shield from my father,” Matute admitted after receiving his award after Teresa Perales, who is already dreaming of Paris Games 2024. “We will always have Paris and there is less and less.”

The special award called “The Heart of Spain” was for Spanish men’s basketball team. “The most beautiful thing is the future. We are very excited. The most complex thing, in transition after the departure of the great legends and with a team under construction, winning the European Championship and being the best makes us optimistic,” Jorge Garbajosa, president of the Spanish Basketball Federation, declared.

Alexander WhitePresident of the Spanish Olympic Committee, asserted that this ceremony celebrates “the true greatness of the Olympics through its highest distinction because Olympism does not make a distinction between the Olympic and Paralympic Games, but is a doctrine that unites body and mind.”

The Prime Minister concluded the ceremony, Pedro Sanchezwho stressed that “the spirit of improvement in the Olympics must be accompanied by the defense of the fundamental values ​​of sport.”

He commented, “You all represent the best face of Spanish sport and this is a great responsibility because sport is a school of life but also an essential element of cohesion, social development and national identity.”

They also attended the ceremony Mikel EsetaMinister of Culture and Sports; Jose Manuel Frankor the Secretary of State for Sport; s Jose Luis EscriváMinister of Integration, Social Security and Immigration.