Jefferson winner for the eighth time of the “El Universo” newspaper Banquet of Champions Trophy 
ECUADOR, 25/12/2007. For the eighth time Jefferson Perez names was engraved on the Banquet of Champions Trophy that EL UNIVERSO newspapers presented last night at the Oro Verde Hotel before 104 national sportsmen and women. It was in 1992 that this newspaper awarded this distinction to the multiple medal winner, when at the age of 18 he was proclaimed world junior champion of race walking at Seoul, Korea.
With the same optimistic smile and modesty that he showed in his youth, Perez received the same tribute in 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2005 and now in 20007.His Olympic Games gold medal, his first place finished in Word Cup Competition and his there consecutive world championships have won him the best athlete title in each those years.
AWARD TO HIS ENTIRE TEAM
With this mark, seven awards, the world’s best race walker at 20k, is the maximum winner of the Champions banquet, surpassing Andres Gomes in Tennis and Jorge Delgado, who each received the distinction in six opportunities.
This year’s third world championship at Osaka, Japan on August 26 filled to overflowing a career full of successes, but Jeff was not alone. For this reason El Universo newspapers decided to expand the designation in 2007 to include the team that accompanies Jeff. The award was for his brother and manager, Fabian; his coach Manuel Ortiz; his physician therapist, Marcelo Aviles.
With the Champions Banquet Perez finished 2007 burdened with awards and celebrations in his honor. The 12th of December the 1996 Olympic medallist in Atlanta received from fox Sport network the award for Best Latin American Sportsman of 2007. He was also named the Best Latin American Athlete together with the Brazilian soccer player, kaka in the election held by the Cuban news agency, Prensa Latina.
Jefferson, who this yeas also received the Golden Condor award from Estadio Sports magazine, is leaning the BBC World poll to elect the Best Sportsman of Latin America of 2007.
Source: “El Universo” Newspaper.
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