Rafa Nadal receives the Gold Medal of Madrid

The tennis player Rafael Nadal has received the Gold Medal of Madrid in recognition of his support for the candidature of the Olympic capital towards organizing the Olympic Games in 2016 and to the development and growth of the Masters Series Madrid, whose sixth edition takes place from last Saturday in the Telefonica Arena.

Nadal, who was unable to collect this award on May 15 when he received the former president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Madrid Adrian Piera and the representative Prisciliano Castro neighborhood, assured that receiving the award is "an honor "it filled with" pride ".

The tennis Manacor thanked Madrid for its support to sport, tennis in particular and to him personally. In this regard, noted that ever played in the capital, the fans make you feel like a Madrid. Nadal also pointed out that his triumph at the Masters Series in Madrid in 2005 is one of the best victories of the memory stored in your career.

After receiving the Gold Medal in Madrid in the hands of the mayor, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, in a ceremony held at the Palacio de Congresos in the capital and which screened a video where Manolo Santana, Raul, Pau Gasol and Fernando Alonso Majorcan congratulated the sportsman, he signed the Golden Book of City Hall.

Previously, Gallardón explained that Madrid has a protagonist today as "a great sportsman" which has already entered the "history of the city." According to the alderman, Nadal has "many solid reasons for being awarded the Gold Medal, among those who cited that the tennis manacorí is" one of the best "in the history of Spain, was the youngest to win the Davis Cup, with 17 years, and is "a great person". Gallardón said Rafa Nadal is "generous" in the victory , "respects" with rivals and even "friend" of his maximum rival, Roger Federer, and noted that his style "captive".

The mayor also highlighted the "effort" made by the tennis Manacor to fulfill two of its "dreams", such as participation in the Olympics, which will next year in Beijing, and that the Olympics is dispute in Madrid with its support for the candidacy of the capital first in 2012 and now in 2016.

Also, Ruiz-Gallardón Nadal stressed that transmits his "pride" to be English and represent "a great nation", like other athletes of his generation as Fernando Alonso or Pau Gasol, it distinguishes Madrid, with its Medal Gold, an athlete who personifies values as "work, effort, sacrifice and passion."

The event was attended by the Secretary of State for Sport, Jaime Lissavetzky, and Senate President Javier Rojo, as well as the Minister of Sports of the Community of Madrid, Alberto Lopez Viejo, and spokesmen for PP, PSOE and IU in the City Hall, Manuel Cobo, David Lucas and Angel Perez, respectively, among others.