More than two thousand people were at Portimão Arena, at the closing of the European City of Sport 2019, last Friday night, December 13th.
“What used to be a dream has come true and today we are here because we are winners and we showed the country and Europe that we can be the best, through this mobilizing movement”, underlined Isilda Gomes, mayor of Portimão.
In his perspective, “if there were any doubts, it is proven that what Portimão has best is its people, as it is not easy for a city of our size to have achieved this result”.
The mayor thanked the security forces and organizations that supported the project, also addressing words of recognition to athletes, godparents, sponsors, volunteers, technicians and municipal workers, not forgetting the collaboration of CED 2019 partner entities and the commitment of the associative movement .
“This award is yours, because if it weren't for this network, we wouldn't have achieved our goals. Thanks to all of you, Portimão was considered the Best European City of Sport 2019”, said the president, highlighting “the immense enthusiasm, dynamism, will and determination shown by all Portimão”.
"The seeds have been sown, the dynamic was created and this victory served to give us more energy to go further", said the mayor, wishing all those present "an excellent Christmas and a Happy New Year, with the certainty that the sport will not stop in Portimão».
Visually impaired boxer Jorge Pina, born in Portimão and one of the CED 2019 ambassadors, was present at the party and challenged the audience: «I already know that I am made from the fiber of Portimão, where I was born 43 years ago. Therefore, we cannot let this magic end, so that the city continues to have sport for everyone».
As for the president of ACES Europe, Gian Lupattelli, he expressed himself “very happy in this fantastic city, small but with a big heart and with a unique president in the world”.
The official underlined the «strength of the people, which led Portimão to win the title with all the merit, bringing to Portugal the third title of Best CED, after Guimarães, in 2013, and Braga, last year».
The mayor of Odivelas, Hugo Martins, reinforced this idea by stating that “the distinction of Portimão is a great pride for Portugal, hence Odivelas will want to live up to this legacy in 2020”.
Finally, the minister of Education, Culture and Sports said that he felt «the pride, work and passion of the people of Portimão when they thought about and idealized the CED, which culminated in this fantastic party, because they knew how to seize the opportunity».
For Tiago Brandão Rodrigues, «Portimão is not the most beautiful and important city in Portugal or Europe, but in the world, and it should praise sports associations and schools, which knew how to embrace this project in the educational and training aspects».
The closing show opened with the revisit, in multimedia format, of CED 2019, in which the dancer Cifrão participated, accompanied by eight professional dancers, who made the audience dance to the sound of “Believe!”, the anthem of Portimão – Cidade European Sport 2019 composed by the band Amor Electro.
In the end, the band HMB staged a concert full of their musical successes, closing with a golden key a very special night.
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