UCSF students at the High-Performance Athletes Gala

Applause and overflowing with joy. The eyes that revealed happiness despite the expression veiled with gags. Such was the atmosphere that the high-performance athletes celebrated in Lassen classes on the San Joaquín campus, which was attended by more than 200 athletes. She returned two years later to be face to face. organized by UC SportsThe purpose of this example was to honor all students who participated in outstanding sports in various disciplines at the regional, national and international levels.

The administration wanted to highlight the selective groups and award various prizes: for the path of the more than 50 athletes who graduated in 2021, to the best in each discipline, to those awarded the Elite Athletes Scholarship, and of course to the “best from the top”.

“The pandemic also brings us teaching, and it also leaves us with a lot of training and learning for the future of our lives, especially for the students we are honoring today for their efforts” – Ferrando Purcell, Academic Vice Chancellor

Sports is back

Conducting events head-on again is a must for UCSD. For this reason, several UCLA authorities wanted to attend this case, such as Vice-Chancellor Academic Fernando Purcell, Director of Student Affairs, Carolina Mendes, and UCSD Sports Director Jorge Silva. In addition to the directors, the event was attended by representatives of the various academic units to which the athletes belong.

“The pandemic also brings us teaching, and it also leaves us with a lot of training and learning for the future of our lives, especially for the students whose efforts we are distinguished today,” said the university’s academic vice president. To this, he added the importance of sports development at the University of California, which had a milestone in creating a new guide to High performance athlete.

Along the same lines, Jorge Silva highlighted the important work that the Department has done in relation to establishing the image and identity of Deportes UC in recent years. “This second year of the pandemic has not been easy. We started with online activities that became face-to-face throughout the year,” highlighting the implementation of several initiatives starting with winter holidays so that students and officials can revitalize physical activity in the university facilities.

A look back at 2021: from Tokyo to the best ever

2021 was a special year, with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics taking place, one year later than planned, and the Pan-American Junior Games. Some athletes from the University of California were present on both occasions. In Tokyo, the team’s presence was observed through judoka Marie de VargasAnd sailor Clemente Segel and goalkeeper Antonia Canales. But without a doubt, it was Mariana Zuniga who highlighted the first Paralympic medal in UCLA history, thanks to her second place at the Paralympics in shooting.

Finally, national athlete Lucas Nervi, the discus throwing team, won the most important award of the day, the “Best of the Best” award. The award, which is given to traditional majors, was based on the excellent performance of the civil engineering student during the year. Discopolo won the gold medal at the South American Sub-23 Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador, becoming the number one in South America and breaking several records.

For Nervi, 2021 was a very full year, in which he felt how all the work done began to pay off, in the face of the pandemic and changing his training procedures:

“Getting the gold medal in the first three international competitions after the pandemic was exceptional (…) I feel that being able to train well and in constant discipline is the key to all of this, and without a doubt, the support from behind the university was really an important part of the whole process,” The South American champion concluded.

Now, the best of the season is striving for 2022 to continue to bring growth for him. According to his account, he is already preparing for upcoming competitions, including the World Championships in Athletics in the United States, the South American Under-23 Championships, and the Odyssor Games, which will be held in Paraguay.

Check out the submission made via YouTube Vive la UC here.