The Extremaduran volleyball player Yohana Rodríguez has been chosen this Thursday for the 2020 Extremadura Sports Award. The jury has also awarded the athlete Javier Cienfuegos, the judoka Cristina Cabaña, the gymnast Sergio Moreno and the paddle tennis player Aitana Pérez. In addition, the ‘Baja TT Dehesa Extremadura’ and the Sports Association Judo Club Stabia de Mérida have been awarded.
The jury of the Extremadura Sports Awards 2020 has named Yohana Rodríguez, captain of the Arroyo Volleyball Club Nuestra Señora de la Luz, Extremadura Sports Award 2020, valuing her career in the history of Extremadura sports.
Rodríguez is a “reference” of a whole generation of volleyball players from Extremadura, appreciated internationally. Among many other achievements and titles, she has received the trophy for the best absolute player, has been chosen as the image for the ‘Marca Extremadura’ sports campaign and has achieved promotion to the Super League.
Absolute best athletes
In the category of Best Absolute Male Athlete, the jury has awarded the Olympic athlete Javier Cienfuegos Pinilla, who has achieved the best absolute Spanish mark in Heavy Hammer, has been proclaimed Champion of Spain in Hammer and Winter Champion of Spain in long throws. Cienfuegos has achieved the Spanish Absolute Heavy Hammer record and ranked 1st in the 10th Gyulai István Memorial.
On the other hand, Cristina Cabaña Pérez has been awarded the prize for the Best Absolute Female Athlete. The emeritense competes in the judo modality and has been proclaimed Runner-up of the European Open Odivelas and Champion of Absolute Spain.
The award for Best Promising Male Athlete went to gymnast Sergio Moreno Medina, from Mérida. His track record stands out for being Junior Spain Runner-up in the General Classification and Junior Spain Runner-up in Rings; Spanish Junior Champion in Parallel Bars and Pommel Horse; fourth classified in the Spanish Junior Floor Championship and fifth in high bar.
In the category of Best Promising Female Athlete, the prize has been awarded to the paddle tennis player Aitana Pérez, who has merits such as being fifth in the National Junior Ranking, 95th Absolute WPT Position, third in the Spain Cadet Team Championship, having reached the eighth of final in the Spanish U23 Championship and in the International FIP Star Elche; and the round of 16 at the International FIP Star Mijas.
The Best Sporting Event Award has been received by the ‘Baja TT Dehesa Extremadura’ of motorsports. This test of more than 600 kilometers, almost a hundred registered teams from Spain and Portugal, and more than 30 accredited media has a great media impact and a significant economic impact for the region and, especially, for the towns where runs.
Likewise, in the category of Best Entity, the Mérida Judo Club Stabia Sports Association has been awarded. The jury has assessed that it is a reference club thanks to three fundamental pillars: management, structuring and achievement of objectives. It is currently on the podium in the highest Division of the National League of Clubs. This entity develops martial arts, aquatic activities, climbing and mountaineering, summer camps and a judo school.
These prizes are awarded with the purpose of granting public testimony of recognition of the sporting work of people, organizations, public institutions and private entities that have contributed in a notorious way to enhance and expand the practice of sports in Extremadura and for this reason, it also contemplates a financial allocation for various categories as was done in the two previous editions.
The Extremadura Sports Award is endowed with 3,000 euros; the Best Absolute Male and Female Athlete Awards, with 2,500 euros each; the Best Sports Event Award, with 1,500 euros; the Best Sports Entity Award, with 1,500 euros; and finally the Best Male and Female Promise Athlete Awards, with 1,000 euros each.
The jury, which had been chosen by the last Regional Sports Council, was made up of the General Director of Sports; two technicians from the General Directorate of Sports; five members of the Regional Sports Council and three members of the regional sports press, as well as a secretary, a function that has been carried out by an official from the Junta de Extremadura.
