- The Town Hall has allocated a total of 53.000€ to support 106 athletes and coaches in the municipality
- The Sports Gala paid a moving tribute to Joan Pere Carbonell for his achievement in the 777 ultradistance race
The Peguera Auditorium was dressed up this Tuesday to celebrate the Calvià Sports Gala 2025, an event dedicated to recognising the effort, perseverance, and successes of local athletes. During the ceremony, presided over by the Mayor of Calvià, the annual grants were awarded, totaling 53.000€ this year. In this edition, the Town Hall received 118 applications, of which 106 were selected after technical evaluation. The aid is divided into three strategic lines:
- Line A (Training and technical development): Primarily aimed at athletes under 18 years of age. Aid has been granted to 63 athletes with a budget of 40.000.
- Line B (High level): Aimed at athletes over 18 years of age with outstanding track records, including Olympic athletes and world-class competitors. Thirty-eight athletes have benefited from a total of 10.000€.
- Line C (Training of coaches): A commitment to the specialisation of local coaches, granting aid to five coaches to obtain sports qualifications.
Disciplines such as athletics (with 37 athletes between lines A and B), swimming, and Olympic wrestling have been particularly prominent due to their high level of representation.
Tribute to Joan Pere Carbonell
One of the most moving moments of the evening was the special recognition of Joan Pere Carbonell for his extraordinary participation in the 777 ultradistance race. After the screening of a commemorative video of his feat, the mayor presented him with a plaque and the "Heart of Calvià" award in recognition of his ability to overcome adversity.
Amengual pointed out that "beyond the astonishing demonstration of effort and mentality necessary to achieve this feat, there is the objective for which he undertook it: to raise funds for research into the Ichthyosis, and to raise awareness of this rare skin disease, which his daughter also suffers from. Joan Pere, you are one of us. Having you as a role model is the best example that, in Calvià, we don't know the word impossible. My sincere thanks."
The Calvià athlete (ADA Calvià) completed the 777 challenge for a charitable cause, aiming to raise awareness, increase visibility, and support research and the fight against ichthyosis. The 777, or World Marathon Challenge, is one of the most demanding races. This year's edition began on January 31st, running in sub-zero temperatures in Antarctica, before passing through South Africa (Cape Town), Australia (Perth), Dubai, Spain (Madrid), Brazil (Fortaleza), and the United States (Miami). Carbonell had the support of Calvià Town Hall and after completing the challenge —the only Spanish runner out of a limited number of 60 from around the world— he was received by the president of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Marga Prohens.
