Candidacies for the Espinho Municipality Sports Awards are open from October 9th to 19th. They can be submitted by associations, clubs, sports organizations in the municipality, media outlets, and the general public, excluding self-nominations. The awards ceremony will take place on November 8th at 5:00 PM in the Salão Atlântico of Casino Espinho.
This initiative celebrates the achievements of the past sports season, bringing together athletes, clubs, leaders, and coaches. In the previous edition, Sporting Clube de Espinho was recognized as Sports Association of the Year, and Associação Académica de Espinho as Team of the Year for their senior men's volleyball team's performance.
At the last gala, Sérgio Pinto Mota was honored as Leader of the Year, André Nelson Tavares as Coach of the Year, and André Valente Ramos as Athlete of the Year, all from Sporting Clube de Espinho. Matias Montenegro Santos Jeremias (Associação Académica de Espinho) received the Breakthrough Athlete of the Year award in trampolining. Maria Manuel Barbosa Cruz Pinto Lopes received the International Recognition award, and Vítor Hugo Barbosa Carvalho da Silva, a former Portuguese international roller hockey player, was honored.
The awards cover nine categories: Sports Association of the Year, Team of the Year, Leader of the Year, Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, Breakthrough Athlete of the Year, Public Recognition and Homage, National Champions, and International Recognition. Forms and regulations are available online, and candidacies can be submitted in person at the Citizen Service Office, at the Espinho Polivalent Hall, or via email to desporto@cm-espinho.pt.
The Mayor of Espinho, Jorge Ratola, emphasized the importance of the awards in publicly recognizing the daily work of clubs, athletes, leaders, and coaches. He highlighted the role of sports in the development of young people, the promotion of healthy lifestyles, and the creation of a more active and inclusive community, reaffirming Espinho's strong sporting tradition.
