The president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, María Dolores Corujo, presided on Monday night together with the Minister of Sports of the Institution, Alfredo Mendoza, the awards ceremony for the Lanzarote Sports Standout 2022, a "long-awaited island gala that has highlighted the perseverance and achievements of just over a dozen athletes and entities", they point out from the Cabildo.
The new Lanzarote Sports Standout awards are direct heirs to the galas held until 2007 by the Island Sports Service of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, dependent on the Sports Area. "And there was a desire for this reunion because more than 300 people gathered in the hall of the Farmer's Monument to attend the presentation of the awards", they explain from the first Institution.
María Dolores Corujo has sincerely congratulated the winners, describing the meeting as "a night of emotions and a night to do justice", she commented at one point in her speech. "You are the protagonists today, although we know that not all those who are, are here", she said before encouraging the legion of good athletes from Lanzarote and La Graciosa to continue working "to achieve their dreams and goals".
The island president warned that, beyond competitive results, "sport, in addition to health, is one of the elements that define the Lanzarote destination", alluding to the Sports-Tourism binomial that brings so much success to the Island of Volcanoes.
Corujo has stressed that the objective of the current government group is "to continue working to multiply support for sports practice", on different fronts; and he pointed out here the need to do so by emphasizing the "values of inclusion and equality" that accompany the government's action.
María Dolores Corujo also referred to the effort that the families of the 2022 sports standouts make daily to help them achieve their personal or team goals.
For his part, Councilor Alfredo Mendoza also congratulated the winners, also thanking the "effort made by the expert Jury of these awards", as well as the work carried out by the staff of the Island Sports Service.
"After the pandemic we all had doubts, but the truth is that Lanzarote athletes have arrived with force", commented the councilor referring to how complicated it has been to select the 2022 Sports Standouts. "Congratulations to all for their wonderful and commendable effort", he said at one point in his speech.
"A dynamic gala"
"The dynamic gala awards ceremony featured the musical accompaniment of the Bohemia group and was presented by the journalist Sara Duarte. The atmosphere was relaxed amidst a wide representation of clubs, federations, top representatives of some municipal institutions, councilors of the Cabildo, clubs and associations that work in the sector; the island president thanked them all for their attendance", they point out from the Cabildo.
The presentation of awards "was enjoyable and was seasoned in each category with a video of the person or entity protagonist. There was a desire to be there, and therefore no one missed their appointment with the beautiful trophy designed for the occasion." Even those who could not be there, such as the swimmer Kennedy Hope Denby, left their recorded message. The rest of the standouts collected the award and offered brief speeches to the applause of the public. Especially graphic was the small artistic demonstration carried out by the young people of the CD Penguins, also awarded.
Sports Standouts 2022
Best athlete (male): Alfredo González and Cristian Sánchez, world champions of the Snipe sailing class.
Best athlete (female): Sara Díaz Reyes, gold in the World Doubles Petanque Championship, among other medals; and Marina Farray García, gold in the World Grappling and Grappling Gi.
Best revelation athlete: Miguel Ángel Martín Duque, player trained in the lower categories of San José and current player of FC Barcelona; and Sara Niz Gutiérrez, goalkeeper of the Fundación CD team. Tenerife and international for Spain in the Sub 16 and Sub 17 categories.
Best athlete under 18 years: Kennedy Hope Denby, bronze medalist in the 1,500 meters freestyle of the Spanish Junior Championship and absolute winner of the last Swimming Crossing (La Graciosa).
Best team or selection: the CD División de Honor Juvenil team Orientación Marítima, classified in 2022 for the first time for the Copa del Rey de Juveniles; and the CICAR Lanzarote Ciudad de Arrecife, team of the Women's Gold Honor Division of handball.
Outstanding activity and athlete among people with functional diversity: We jump the barriers, a project of physical and sports activities aimed at students with functional diversity, and promoted by the IES Playa Honda and the IES Blas Cabrera Felipe; and Lionel Morales, winner in multiple international paratriathlon events.
Outstanding person or entity in the promotion of sport: CD. Penguins, of the Real Club Náutico de Arrecife, bronze medal in the combo event of the Spanish Children's Artistic Swimming Championship.
Promotion of traditional Canarian games and sports: Balbino Pérez Sainz, lover of Canarian wrestling who has been linked to the vernacular sport in Lanzarote for decades.
Dissemination of physical and sports activity: Ignacio Romero Perera, founder of Senderismo Lanzarote.
To a lifetime dedicated to sports: José Manuel Corujo Martín. For decades on the benches. As a coach he has achieved several promotions to the Regional Preferente category. A highly respected person in island sports.
