The SPORTEL Awards 2023 ended on Monday the 23rd, with a magnificent Awards Ceremony held at the Grimaldi Forum, in Monaco.
The ceremony, broadcast on TV Monaco, Monaco’s first national public channel on the TV5 Monde network, met all expectations.
Preceded by the parade of countless champions from different disciplines on an emerald green carpet, the color code adopted by the international event, marking each of its editions with a unique touch, this year’s gala will be etched in memory for a long time.
Sports stars attended the event. Each with a unique talent, impressive achievements for some and promising careers for others.
While the awards ceremony featured a presentation by Marc Maury, former decathlete and rugby player.
The event honored the most memorable sporting moments of the year with the Georges Bertellotti Golden Podium. Furthermore, the best bookmaker was awarded the Renaud de Laborderie Prize.
Highlights from the sporting world at the SPORTEL Awards
A crowd of champions took to the stage to present trophies to the winners. The jury was chaired by world vice-champion and French discus record holder, 22-time French champion and Olympic runner-up, Mélina Robert Michon.
In the company of the French discus thrower was one of the world’s best skiers, Tessa Worley, renowned British sports photographer, Richard Pelham, prominent reporter, Stéphane Le Goff, Publicis Sport creative director, Olivier Henry and star ski mogul , Perrine Laffont, who has one of the most impressive skiing records in the world and represents the French Olympic and Sports Committee.
In addition to Robert Colle, vice-president of the Monaco Ski Federation, representing the local Olympic Committee, and the famous taekwondo practitioner from Côte d’Ivoire, Ruth Gbagbi, Olympic medalist, world leader in the taekwondo ranking in 2020 and champion of Peace and Sport.
Several highlights punctuated this ceremony including the spectacular freestyle basketball shots performed by Bulldog Mack and George Torch, the famous Harlem Globe-trotters.
It comes as the excitement of newly crowned world medalist gymnasts Marine Boyer, Morgane Osyssek-Reimer, Djenna Laroui, Lorette Charpy and Coline Devillard.
Pierre Casiraghi, representing Prince Albert II, closed the ceremony by presenting the Legend Award to Katarina Witt.
The most decorated figure skater of the modern era, two-time Olympic champion, four-time world champion, eight-time European champion, and eight-time German champion.
Katarina Witt now joins the ranks of SPORTEL legends, following Didier Deschamps in 2018 and Alain Prost in 2019.
Remarkable ceremony
“The most striking sporting images of the year were awarded tonight. We honor all the champions of all sports and that is the soul of our event”, said Loris Menoni, Executive Director of the SPORTEL Awards.
“All these top athletes inspire admiration for their rigor and courage. It is important to give them the recognition they deserve”, he concluded.
