The XXXI Cantabrian Sports Gala awards Iker Casillas, Dennis González, Patricia Álvarez and Diego Botín

During the XXXI Cantabrian Sports Gala, the Cantabria Sports Press Association (APDC) has awarded the former soccer player Iker Casillas, the artistic swimmer Dennis González, the hockey player Patricia Álvarez and the sailor Diego Botín, among others.

The regional Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sports, Luis Martínez Abad, and the regional head of Economy, Luis Ángel Agüeros, participated this Saturday in the ceremony along with nearly a thousand attendees at the Cantabria Festival Palace.

Agüeros presented the Bolístico Award to Marta Castillo, champion of Spain and Cantabria in bolo palma, while Martínez Abad gave the Best National Athlete of the Year to Patricia Álvarez, bronze medalist in the European Field Hockey Championship with the Spanish team, top scorer in that tournament and best player in the 2024/25 League.

Iker Casillas, Real Madrid legend and former goalkeeper of the Spanish team, won the Juan Manuel Gozalo Award and thanked him through a video. And then Diego Botín, sailing world champion in the 49er class, took the International Athlete of the Year Award.

The athlete Pablo Delgado, European under-23 triple jump champion, received the Alfonso Prieto Award for Sports Values; Brian Uriarte, junior world motorcycling champion, and India González Rojo, world and European figure skating champion, received the Promise of the Year Award, and Andrea Njimi Tankeu, European under-20 discus throw champion, won the Sports Achievement Award.

Former handball player Jesús ‘Chechu’ Fernández, winner of Olympic bronze with Spain in Atlanta 1996 and member of the Teka Sports Group, was recognized with the Severiano Ballesteros Award for Sports Legend; and José Manuel ‘Cundo’ Pérez, with the Sports Promotion Award;

The Meruelo Cantabria Deporte Cycling Club was elected Best Team, being champion of the Spanish Women’s Cup for teams and individuals in both the elite and under-23 categories, and Sardinero Hockey received the Best Club award. Finally, journalist Orfeo Suárez received the APDC Award for his “long and consolidated professional career.”