Portugal with four medals in the “best European ever” in MTB Orienteering
“This was the best European ever in terms of sporting results for Portugal, with the winning of two gold medals for Marisa Costa, in the middle and long distance, at the junior level, a bronze medal in the World Cup and the World Cup. Europe in elites for Davide Machado, and a silver medal for Artur Mendonça, who was crowned European vice-champion in the youth category”, said today to Lusa the president of the Portuguese Orienteering Federation, who highlighted the fact that the national team of Orienteering today “Athletes consecrated on the international plane” and “good promises at the youth levels and that augur a good future” for the sport.
At the end of an event that brought together about 380 athletes from 26 countries in Abrantes, Constância, Chamusca and Sardoal, in the district of Santarém, between the 7th and 10th of October, competing in the World Cup, European Championship of Elites and of young people, in the youth and junior levels, as well as the World Cup of Veterans by Clubs, where Portugal won 12 more medals, Helder Faísca also highlighted the “commitment and work” as the basis of the success of the national organization of the event.
“The organization of the MTB Orienteering events that brought together the world’s elite in various competitions here”, and which coincided on the calendar due to the pandemic, “was at the level of the trust placed in Portugal by the International Federation, so it is with pride and satisfaction that we leave the mission unfulfilled and well accomplished”, he said, noting that this was “a great journey to promote the sport in the region and in the country”.
The Russian team was the great dominator of the Europeans, winning 16 medals, followed by the Czech Republic, with nine, and Denmark, with seven, in the various levels (youth, junior and senior).
In the veterans World Cup, a competition played by athletes at the club level and not national teams, Portugal won, in a total of four days of competition, 12 medals, with emphasis on Susana Pontes and Daniel Marques, from the Centro Orienteering Club (COC) , from Leiria, to obtain four gold medals each, as the first in their career.
Also in veterans, Carlos Ferreira, from Clube Aventura da Bairrada, won two medals (gold in sprint and bronze in middle distance), Carlos Patrício, from Clube Natureza do Alvito, won a silver medal in middle distance, and Arnaldo Mendes, from Mondego Sports Association, won a bronze medal in the sprint.
At the closing ceremony, which took place today at the Abrantes Municipal Stadium, Lithuania was given testimony as the organizing country in 2022 of the European Championship in Elites and youth groups, making the organization of the Junior and Senior World Championship in charge of Sweden , and the 3rd round of the Elites World Cup and Veterans World Cup under Bulgaria’s responsibility.