António José Seguro honored the “best campaign ever” by Portugal at an indoor athletics world championship, stating that Agate de Sousa, Gerson Baldé, and Isaac Nader “made history for the country.”
The President of the Republic, António José Seguro, today awarded the three athletes with the Order of Merit for the medals won at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Toruń, Poland.
At a ceremony held at the Palácio de Belém in Lisbon, Seguro received the Portuguese delegation that competed in the championships and awarded the rank of Officer of the Order of Merit to the three medalists: Agate de Sousa, Gerson Baldé, and Isaac Nader.
Seguro praised what he described as Portugal’s “best-ever campaign” at an indoor athletics world championship, highlighting that the three athletes “made history for the country.”
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“What impressed me most was not only what they did on the track, but where they came from and what they sacrificed. No one reaches the top of the world by accident, but through talent, hard work, courage, and determination,” said the President.
António José Seguro individually highlighted each of the medalists, starting with Agate de Sousa, noting that her “determination and consistency,” which earned her gold in the long jump with a mark of 6.92 meters, “reflect a complete athlete.”
Credits: José Sena Goulão/LUSA
“Agate competed in university sport, showing something in which I believe we can improve: the ability to study and compete at the highest level,” he added.
Regarding Gerson Baldé, the President said he “rose to the occasion on a big stage and against strong competition” to win gold in the long jump with a leap of 8.46 meters.
As for Isaac Nader, silver medalist in the 1,500 meters, Seguro said that his “demanding nature and dissatisfaction” after missing out on gold “is what makes great athletes.”
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At the ceremony, attended by Fernando Gomes, president of the Portuguese Olympic Committee, Seguro set his sights on the 2028 Summer Olympics.
“I also thank the presence of the COP president, to whom I wish success in the next Games, hoping to welcome our athletes with the same emotion. It is both an expectation and a responsibility I leave with you,” said the President.
Meanwhile, Domingos Castro, president of the Portuguese Athletics Federation, said he was honored by the invitation to attend the ceremony at Belém, calling the visit the “fourth medal” of the national delegation, but also issued an appeal to Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, who was also present.
“In indoor athletics, Portugal does not have a single proper arena. Braga and Pombal are the only places where we have tracks to hold our championships. Prime Minister, look at us,” said Domingos Castro.
He added that Portugal has “some of the best athletes in the world,” who are “always medal contenders,” but stressed the need for better conditions for athletics, which have worsened after damage caused by Storm Kristin to infrastructure in Pombal.
“These young athletes will need to be replaced in the coming years, and we must attract the next generation by providing the right conditions so that they can become future medalists,” Domingos Castro concluded.
