David Livramento (Tuna General-Tavira-Maria Nova Hotel) hopes that the gesture that earned him the distinction with the World Fair-Play diploma, in the “Pierre de Coubertin-Act” category, will inspire young cyclists to prioritize values over victories
The first online stage of the special edition of the Volta a Portugal was taking place, on September 28, 2020, when the 38-year-old from Algarve starred in the moment distinguished by the International Committee for Fair Play (CIFP): before a fall collective, 15 kilometers from the goal, He did not hesitate and stopped to help Emanuel Duarte, who is now his teammate, but at the time he was a “rival”.
As soon as we arrived in Viana, Santa Luzia, we were reorganizing the team to face the final part of the stage, which is always dangerous and stressful. I was at the back of the pack and there was a collective fall. Luckily, I managed to stop and when I saw a colleague fall in front of me, who is now my teammate, I stopped safely and got ready to help him, confirmed that everything was fine with him and continued on my way. ”, he reminded the Lusa agency.
David Livramento did not think “much at that moment, nor about the time he could lose”.
The situation happened and Emanuel was the athlete in front of me. I just stopped, helped, put his bike on the feet, then I grabbed mine, because in the meantime the chain was jumping with the brakes, and I continued on my way,” he said, noting that, in addition to not knowing that RTP “was filming the back of the peloton at that moment of the fall”, he did not consider that “much value was given to this type of attitude or gesture”.
But the Panathlon Clube de Lisboa found out about the moment of fair-play, informed the Panathlon Internacional and this entity signed the candidacy of the cyclist from Cabanas de Tavira for the prize, awarded in 2020, but received only last June, in Budapest, Hungary, since the Covid-19 pandemic successively postponed the gala.
It was being postponed, but in the meantime the ceremony was achieved. It is a special gala, in which the most important people of Hungary and the International Committee for Fair Play are represented. When I received the trophy from the Hungarian Secretary of State for Sport, I was proud of his words. He said that he was doing an exemplary job in the sport,” he said.
Without hiding that the distinction is a source of pride for you, for Atum General-Tavira-Maria Nova Hotel and “even for Portugal”, since you were the first Portuguese athlete to receive the World Fair-Play diploma, in the category “Pierre de Coubertin-Act”, the Algarvian who is known as “Ladomada”, for his resemblance to the Italian former cyclist Michele Ladomada, guarantees that he has “dispositions to continue doing a good job”.
After all, sport still has good things and we are going to try to make young people take these examples, so that we can transmit these examples to them and that they can be good athletes and, deep down, good people. Values are more important than victories and the health and well-being of a partner or of any person is worth more than any sporting result, ”she defended.
The repercussion of the award was such that Livramento, after having “honors” as a “star” in Hungary —it even appeared on the giant screens of the Duna Arena, where the Swimming World Cups were held—, had extra support in the way. to the Tower, on Sunday, in the third stage of the Volta a Portugal, very encouraged by the fans who applauded him more than ever on his way to the highest point in mainland Portugal.
Distinguished by the Municipality of Tavira and by the team itself, which offered him a distinctive bicycle (red), the runner now dreams of the Sports Merit Medal, granted by the Portuguese Government, which would be the corollary of a career dedicated to others.
Cycling is a team sport and sometimes no matter how good you are, not everyone can win and not everyone can win. I have managed to win, but I recognize that I am not a winner and leader like Alejandro [Marque] yes, or frederico [Figueiredo, líder da Volta a Portugal] on Glass Drive. Someone has to work, and I am happy and happy when the leader wins and thanks you for the work you have done for him”, she summed up, before adding: “I enjoy riding a bike and being professional”.
Source: Observadora
