Iúri Leitão stole the show at the 28th Sports Gala. The 26-year-old cyclist won three awards. He was named Male Athlete of 2024. He also got the Team Prize with Rui Oliveira. And he took home the Ethics in Sports Prize.
Leitão made history at the Paris Olympics. He won two medals – gold in the madison and silver in the omnium. No other Portuguese athlete has done that before. He and Rui Oliveira were the first non-track and field athletes from Portugal to win Olympic gold.
A night to remember
Leitão beat out big names like Neemias Queta, Diogo Ribeiro, Nuno Borges, and Cristiano Ronaldo for Male Athlete of 2024. He joked about saying goodnight to the crowd after his third win. He thanked his coach, Gabriel Mendes, calling him the “best coach in the world”.
Leitão also got the Ethics in Sports Prize for waiting for Benjamin Thomas after the French athlete fell in the omnium final. This was a classy move that showed Leitão’s sportsmanship.
Team Prize
Leitão and Rui Oliveira won the Team Prize. They beat out other top teams like the canoeists José Ramalho and Fernando Pimenta, and the sailors Diogo Costa and Carolina João. Leitão said he wished Rui was there to share the moment.
The Paris Olympics medalists were big winners at the gala. Judoka Patrícia Sampaio, who won bronze, was named Female Athlete of 2024. She beat out Filipa Martins, Camila Rebelo, Cristina Gonçalves, and Francisca ‘Kika’ Nazareth.
Sampaio wasn’t there, but her friend Maria Siderot read a message from her. Sampaio talked about her tough year and how she learned to deal with failure. But she achieved her dream of winning an Olympic medal.
Tributes and awards
Ruben Amorim, the coach of the Portuguese football team, was named Coach of the Year. He beat out Gabriel Mendes, Alberto Silva, André Tavares, and Igor Sampaio. Amorim said he wanted to dedicate the prize to his team.
The Young Promise award went to handball player Francisco Costa. He beat out Geovany Quenda, Jaime Faria, Madalena Costa, and João Pontes. Costa said he was proud and grateful for the prize.
Diogo Cancela, a paralympic swimmer, won the award for adapted sports. He beat out Cristina Gonçalves, Marta Paço, Norberto Mourão, and João Gonçalves. Cancela was thankful for the recognition.
The gala ended with a tribute to José Manuel Constantino, a former president of the Portuguese Olympic Committee. He died on August 11, the day of the Paris Olympics closing ceremony. A documentary about his life was shown, and his family received a trophy.