The Culture, Sports, and Tourism Department of the Government of Navarra, through the Navarra Institute of Sports and Physical Activity (INDAF), has officially opened voting for citizens to recognize the most remarkable achievements in Navarrese sports for 2024. Starting this Thursday and continuing until January 15, the public can cast their votes online via the INDAF website. Categories include Best Club, Best Sports Federation, Best Judge or Referee, Best Coach, and the Sports Values Award.
The winners will be honored at a grand Sports Gala, set to take place in February at the Navarra Arena.
For the Best Coach category, the nominees are:
- Juantxo Ferreira Martínez, coach of Osés Construcción
- Imanol Maiza Zudaire, coach of WP 89-02
- Iosune Murillo Elkano, performance manager for the Kern Pharma cycling team
- Idoia Mariezkurrena Fernández, coach at the Spanish Athletics Federation
In the Best Judge or Referee category, the contenders include:
- Ion Bustamante López, handball referee
- Paula Remírez Ruiz, taekwondo referee
- Ibon Arévalo Lafuente, baseball and softball referee
Competing for the Best Club award in 2024 are:
- Hiru-Herri Athletic Club and Triathlon
- Beti Gazte
- Huarte Ice Club
- ASPACE Navarra
For Best Federation, the Navarra Federations of Padel, Triathlon, Archery, Volleyball, and Speleology are in the running.
Meanwhile, the Sports Values Award highlights organizations promoting inclusivity and social impact through sports. This year’s nominees are:
- Pamplona Bulls, recognized for creating northern Spain’s first wheelchair football team
- C.D. Béisbol y Softbol Toros, commended for their inclusive sports school focused on baseball
- ASDEFOR, applauded for using football to promote education and sportsmanship
According to the Government, these awards celebrate exceptional contributions to athletic achievement and efforts to promote physical activity throughout the year.
Additional honors will be directly awarded by INDAR based on proposals from the commission. These include Best Male Athlete, Best Female Athlete, Best Male Team, Best Female Team, Best Leader, and Best Emerging Athlete.
The Navarre Federation of Municipalities and Councils (FNMC), with input from the Technical Association of Municipal Sports in Navarre (ATEDENA), will decide the Best Municipality or Community award for contributions to sports development.
Lastly, the Center for Sports Medicine Studies, along with the Official Association of Sports Physical Educators of Navarre (COLEFNA) and the Public University of Navarre (UPNA), will present an award for the Best Research Project.
