AS Sports Prizes Ceremony

The fans' verdict couldn't have been clearer - as Alberto Contador, Rafael Nadal and the Spanish football team were voted the winners by readers of sports daily As for the AS Sports Prizes 2008. Also honored was racer Jaime Alguersuari, who has been named as the most Most Promising Newcomer, and Gemma Mengual and Teresa Perales, who received the Olympic Prizes. The awards, which honor Spanish sportspeople, were handed out at a gala ceremony on December 3 at Madrid's Palacio de Congresos. The ceremony was preceded by a minute's silence for Ignacio Uria, murdered by ETA.

Among those attending the event were the Secretary of State for Sport, Jaime Lissavetzky, and Spanish sports icons Ángel Nieto, Santana and Di Stéfano. But the spotlight was on the night's big winners as Casillas, Silva, De la Red, Senna, Juanito, Capdevila, Cazorla and Sergio García picked up their As Prize for Spain's first European Cup win In 44 years, in Austria and Switzerland.

It's been a memorable year too for Contador, after winning the Giro and the Vuelta, and helping Samuel Sánchez win gold in Beijing.

Though Rafael Nadal was unable to pick up his award in person he thanked those assembled by videoconference. "He's so proud of this award,"  said Manolo Santana, on his behalf, as he collected the prize alongside Arancha Sánchez Vicario. "He has earned it by the sweat of his brow and his efforts," said Feliciano Lopez, referring to the two Grand Slams (Wimbledon and Roland Garros), the gold in Beijing and the world top-ranking position.

The young racer, Jaime Alguersuari, was "thrilled to collect his award" after his F3 international success.

Gemma Mengual, meanwhile, spoke of the success of Spanish sport in 2008. It was down, she said "to our earnest desire to win, the way we competed," said the Barcelonan swimmer, who won her first two Olympic medals in Beijing. "It's been a golden year," said Paralympic swimmer Teresa Perales, who won five medals at the games and who collected her award on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The gala ceremony paid special tribute to former golf star Severiano Ballesteros, currently recovering from a brain tumor. Also present was US athletics icon, Tommie Smith, the 200m champion at the 1968 Mexico Olympics who'll go down in history for his Olympics Black Power salute.