El Universo newspaper elected Jeff best Athlete of Ecuador in 2004 
ECUADOR, 11/01/2005. Jefferson Pérez was designated Best Athlete of 2004 (in all sports during a celebration at the Dinner of Champions, organized by EL UNIVERSO, the best national newspaper.
For the sixth time Jefferson Pérez Quezada obtained the distinction of Best Athlete of Ecuador. His victory in the 20 K Walk at the World Track and Field Championship last May in Naumberg, Germany, and the silver medal by the Ecuadorian race-walking team in the same tournament led to his being honored.
The election look place at the Oro Verde Hotel. Almost 80 athletes attended the event that brought together athletes in judo, swimming, cycling, track & field, weightlifting, sailing, canoeing, karate do, boxing, wrestling, triathlon, gymnastics and bowling.
In determining Perez’s designation, to his World triumphs were added his excellent participation in the Olympic Games in Greece last August where he was fourth in the 20 k event and 12th in the 50 k event.
Of his participation in the Athens Olympics it is still remembered that on there occasions he vomited and was on the point of fainting in the 50 k event, but recovered to reach the finish lime, fulfilling his promise made to Ecuador to retire like a man. “I finished like a man. That’s what I wanted to do for love of my country”. Were the words of a disheartened Pérez after the event won by the Pole, Robert Korseniowski, followed by the Russians Denis Nizhegorodov and Aleksey Voyevodin. Mexico also saw the strength Walking at Tijuana, finishing ahead, of the Pole, Korseniowski and the Italian, Ivano Brugnetti (current Olympic champion), In May of this year, Jefferson, the only Ecuadorian Olympic medallist and two-time World Race Walking Champion, received the Juan Montalvo Medal, for Educational and Cultural Merit in the degree of Gran Cruz on The part of the National Government for being and example for youth.
Source: Courtesy El Universo Newspaper
|
