This week the “Best of the Best” award ceremony was carried out, an award that highlights the most outstanding athletes and Para athletes in the year, chosen by the Sports Journalists Circle (CPD for its acronym in Spanish).
On this occasion, in the conventional sports category, there was a particular situation, since not one, but two “Cóndor de Oro” were awarded, the traditional trophy that the winner takes home. This happened due to the fact that the cousins Esteban and Marco Grimalt were chosen as the winners after an amazing 2022 in beach volleyball.
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The experienced players offered their thanks to the CPD after being chosen. “We are very happy, no donuts about that. Athletes really appreciate the Cóndor award from the Sports Journalists Circle. We are going through an amazing year with Esteban, in a very mature stage in our sport and we are proving it on the sand,” detailed Marco Grimalt.
On the other hand, they took the opportunity to plan their next season, which will have as a milestone their participation in the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games. In Marco’s words:: “it is a great combination to win this award before the Games, it’s a huge motivation. The maturity we have today helped us get great results and we hope to keep them coming. Next year, all tournaments are important.”
The Grimalts celebrating the Elite 16 Gstaad title, in Switzerland. It is their biggest conquest yet (foto: volleyballworld.com)
The awarded trophy is a summary of a season filled with successes for the Chilean representatives, who after 12 years of career, have been able to position themselves as a reference duo, at a South American level, as well as the world level.
Among their best milestones in 2022 are found their first title in the world circuit Beach Pro Elite on July 16th, as well as the Gold Medal in the Asunción South American Games, beating the Argentinian duo Nicolás and Tomás Capogrosso last October 15th.
“It has been a road where we have passed through stages, being today a duo that is relevant in the yearly competitions, where we have also been able to win in the most important circuits in the world. We had the chance to get the Gold medal this year at Odesur, which was the one we had pending in that category,” stated Esteban Grimalt.
The cousins Esteban and Marco Grimalt will start their 2023 season in January, participating in the first date of the South American circuit, which will be hosted in Rancagua between January 20th and the 22nd, and afterwards they will travel to Qatar, where the last date of the 2022 world circuit will be hosted. By the end of the year, the biggest challenge will be the Pan American Games, where they will seek to defend their title, after the Gold obtained in Lima 2019.
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