Buenos Aires, Dec 5 (NA) -- The nominees for the different categories of the next edition of the Olimpia Awards have been announced, with World Champions Ángel Di María, Leandro Paredes, and Lautaro Martínez competing in football.
According to the Argentine News Agency, this will be the 72nd edition of the awards, which will be managed by the company Torneos. The event will take place on Monday, December 22, at the Usina del Arte, in the La Boca neighborhood.
Furthermore, the ceremony will feature new additions: the esports category will be integrated to distinguish standout competitors in various video games, and the novel "Inspiration Award" will be given, a compensation decided by public vote for a nominee who did not win in their category.
The prize for the winner will be an annual scholarship. Thus far, only three nominations remain unofficial: the Olimpia de Oro and the polo and esports categories.
In a great year for each of the three, Di María, Paredes, and Lautaro Martínez will compete for the Olimpia de Plata in football.
The first of them had a high-level return to Argentine football, choosing to return to Rosario Central for the second half of the year and demonstrating a good individual performance, with seven goals and three assists in 16 matches. Additionally, he won the "League Championship," a controversial title awarded by the AFA to the leader of the annual table after the regular season ended.
Another great return to Argentine football was that of Paredes, who returned to Boca in July and caused a sensation. At 31, at the peak of his career, the former Roma player took charge of the "Xeneize's" midfield and completely changed the club's face: with four assists and being the master of set pieces, Claudio Úbeda's team qualified for the Copa Libertadores group stage after two years of absence, won the Superclásico, and is a semifinalist of the Torneo Clausura.
Being the only nominee who does not play in Argentine football, Lautaro Martínez also had a good year, with 28 goals for Inter Milan, the club he captains and leads, and being a finalist in the UEFA Champions League.
In tennis, nominees were Francisco Cerúndolo, the best Argentine player in the ATP rankings, Solana Sierra, who, in addition to being the best Argentine on the women's list, reached the fourth round of Wimbledon, and iconic tennisman Horacio Zeballos, who currently focuses on doubles and was able to win his first two Grand Slams this year.
In motorsports, Franco Colapinta stands out once again, along with Agustín Canapino and Nicolás Cavigliasso, while in basketball, Facundo Campazzo, José Vildoza, and Luciana Delabarba were nominated, and in chess, young Faustino Oro appears, impressing the sports world at just 12 years old.
