THE former footballer Paulo Futre and athletes Mariana Machado, middle distance, and Patrícia Mamona, triple jump, were awarded on Thursday, in the seventh edition of the Sports Business Awards, held in Montes Claros, in Lisbon.
At a gala organized by the Sports Foundation, represented by its president Susana Feitor, and the Spanish foundation “Patrocina un Deportista”, Paulo Futre was awarded the Iberian Prize, a tribute to his sporting career and contribution to the development of relations between Portugal and Spain.
“It is an honor to be here and to have here the best president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) ever, Fernando Gomes, who will, I am sure, be the best president of the Portuguese Olympic Committee”, began by stating the former national team player, after receiving the award from the Secretary of State for Sport, Pedro Dias.
In his speech, after remembering the importance of support from government entities in the development of sport in Spain, Paulo Futre asked the former president of the FPF if he would “take off the number 7 jersey from the national team?”. Without an audible response, he added: “Cristiano has to go out with a bang and I have nothing against Jorge Jesus”, he defended, thanking him for the distinction.
Mariana Machado, considered one of the greatest figures in Portuguese athletics today, was distinguished, in turn, with the Sports Talent Award, presented by Fernando Gomes and José Marques, president of Lactogal.
The athlete participated in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, was a gold medalist in the 5000 meters at the Chengdu Universiades (2021), a silver medal in the 3000 meters at the Junior European Championships (2019) and a bronze medal at the under-23 Cross Country European Championships (2021).
“It is an honor to receive this trophy, it is a great source of pride. I would like to thank you for this recognition, which has a very special value. I started with a very big dream of being at the Olympic Games, but I wanted to combine it with my academic training, which was a great challenge. It was only possible with a lot of spirit of sacrifice, dedication, resilience and, with the support of my family, I managed to be at the Olympic Games in 2024 and finish my academic training this year”, said the Portuguese athlete.
In addition to her high sporting performance, Mariana Machado, aged 25, completed her Masters in Medicine at the University of Minho in July.
Patrícia Mamona, removed from the competition due to injury, was honored with the “UNIR | Universidad de La Rioja” Academic and Sports Merit Award, which recognizes personalities who stand out for their good sporting and academic results, as well as their role in defending dual careers and career transitions in sport.
Specialist in the triple jump, Mamona, 37 years old, won the silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where he set the current national record with a mark of 15.01 meters. He won the gold medal in Amsterdam, in 2016, and the silver medal in Helsinki, in 2012, at the European Outdoor Championships.
It is also seen as one of the greatest exponents of success in dual careers, a cause that it fiercely defends, fighting for better conditions for the transition of careers in sport.
“I’m grateful to be honored not only for my sporting achievements, but also for my academic training. I started my career in school sports and I’m already in a downward phase of my career, but I continue to work on my academic stage. It’s possible to be an athlete and a student. It’s possible to go to the Olympic Games and study”, highlighted Mamona, giving Mariana Machado as an example.
Closing the event, the Secretary of State for Sport praised the merits of all the athletes and honorees, such as Mariana Machado, who showed “how it is possible to have a high-performance sporting career and a successful academic career”, and the “extraordinary example” of Joana Santos (judo), awarded the Sports Award for People with Disabilities, as well as Patrícia Mamona and Paulo Futre.
Among those present at the gala were former athletes Pedro Dias (judo), Carlos Martins (roller hockey), Domingos Castro (athletics and president of the Portuguese Athletics Federation), António da Cunha (rugby), Frederico Gil (tennis), Filipa Cavalleri (judo) and, in the management field, the president of the Institute of Sports and Youth, Ricardo Gonçalves, the presidents of the Municipal Chambers of Rio Maior and Nazaré, Filipe Santana Dias and Serafim da Silva, respectively, and also Ana Simões, for the Lisbon City Council, among other federative representatives and other sports entities.
The Sports Business Awards aim to highlight people, companies and institutions that support sport in Portugal, as well as annually distinguishing Portuguese personalities who stand out in various sporting competitions.
Several companies that stood out in different areas were also awarded awards, such as the promotion of health and physical activity, sport for people with disabilities, support for sport, social sports project, inclusion, innovation, and women, business and sport.
