The Portuguese Paralympian Lenine Cunha was chosen today as the best athlete in the world by the International Federation of Athletes with Intellectual Disabilities (VIRTUS), at a gala that took place in the French city of Vichy, repeating the feat achieved in 2017.
The athlete, holder of 228 medals in international competitions, succeeds the Portuguese Sandro Baessa, distinguished in 2019, with the prize awarded by VIRTUS (former INAS).
“I am very honored and proud to receive this award, it’s been 32 years dedicated to athletics with a lot of dedication, commitment and love for the shirt I wear, the Portugal shirt,” said Lenine Cunha, in statements to the Lusa agency. .
The athlete, who won bronze in the long jump at the 2012 London Games and in 2020 and 2021 won 21 international medals, shared the award won today with “family, friends, clubs and sponsors”, but made special dedications.
“I wanted to dedicate this award to my former coach, José Costa Pereira, because we were together for 22 years, he was like a second father to me and he was largely responsible for the athlete I am today. I also want to dedicate it to the club that I now represent, Clube de Futebol Oliveira do Douro, to my training partners and my coach, Ana Carneiro, for motivating me and helping me at this point in my career,” he said.
At 39 years old, Lenine Cunha, who was nominated for the award in 2015, but lost to swimmer Wai Lok Tang, from Hong Kong, guarantees that he is committed to “honoring Portugal again, in the next international competitions”.
Lenine Cunha, who likes to be treated by Lenny, began practicing athletics at the age of seven, three years after suffering from meningitis, which caused her to lose her speech, part of her vision and memory, and had intellectual consequences. .
After having gone through regular sport, he joined adapted sport at the age of 16, in which he holds several world records.
Source: Observadora
