At a Sports Gala in Trujillo, Spain has recognized the work of athletes, coaches, and sports associations in the community, following the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and what better way to do it than recovering with an act of celebration and joy linked to health, self-improvement, and personal effort,” said the Councilor for Sports, Gabriela Carvajal, in her opening remarks.
The gala, which was held at the Gabriel y Galán theater, brought together representatives from a broad group of sports, including para-climbing, karate, triathlon, and beach handball. There were moments of humor, remembrance, and celebration, as awards such as ‘sportsman of the year’ and ‘team of the year’ were presented to athletes by their coaches and family members.
A beach handball tournament that took place in August was awarded ‘Best Sporting Event.’ The tournament, which featured children’s, youth, and senior teams, required some creative event planning to make it happen. Despite the growing popularity of the sport in Spain, Trujillo doesn’t yet have a purpose made facility that can host beach handball games. So, the event’s organizers, in collaboration with the City Council, held it at an equestrian facility that could accommodate all 37 teams plus spectators.
While the equestrian track served as a unique tournament venue, beach handball players in Trujillo will soon have a place to call their own. There are now plans underway, announced by Carvajal, to build a facility that will be used for beach handball, as well as beach volleyball and beach soccer.
The event’s organizers were thrilled to be recognized alongside notable sporting figures in their community. The award, as well as the new facility, go to show how popular beach handball has become in Spain and around the world, and how many people have fallen in love with this sport.
