Cristopher Triviño, wheelchair paddle player, will receive the distinction of the UPV at the Sports Gala on June 13.
[ 08/03/2024 ]
The Governing Council of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) approved in its last session -March 7- to grant the distinction of Honorary Sportsman of 2024 of the academic institution to the wheelchair paddle tennis player Cristopher Triviño Molina (València, 1988), also known as “Topher” Triviño. The rector of the UPV, José E. Capilla, will present him with the accreditation on June 13.
According to the proposal presented by Capilla, at the initiative of the Vice-Rector’s Office/Delegate Directorate for Social Dialogue, Prevention, Conciliation and Sport, Cristopher Triviño “inspires motivation by overcoming the added difficulties that sports practice entails for people with disabilities. In addition, it is a transmitter of the human values that the university wants for its students”.
Triviño started playing adapted padel ten years ago, and since 2017 he participates in competitions on a regular basis. In 2023, he was part of the Spanish team that won the title at the I World Wheelchair Padel Championship, held in Madrid. In addition, he has been proclaimed champion of Spain for five consecutive years (from 2019 to 2023), pairing up with Edorta de Anta, and for the last year he has been participating in national tournaments representing the UPV. He currently occupies third place in the national ranking of the Spanish Federation of Sports for People with Physical Disabilities.
“Very important for chair paddle tennis.”
As soon as he heard the news, Triviño said that he was “very proud that an institution as big as the UPV recognizes my career”. At the same time, he was pleased with what this decision means for wheelchair paddle tennis: “this recognition from the UPV is much appreciated and is very important because our sport, nowadays, is a minority”.
“On the court, padel makes me not feel like I’m in a wheelchair. In fact, I often play with my family, with my friends or with different partners. This shows its inclusiveness,” he defended.
In parallel to paddle tennis, Triviño practices other inclusive sports, such as wheelchair tennis (he is runner-up in the Valencian league of the Federation of Adapted Sports of the Valencian Community), skiing and A Ball, i.e. wheelchair soccer, a new sport endorsed by the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
Delivery on June 13
On June 13, during the UPV Sports Gala, Treviño will receive from the hands of José E. Capilla the trophy and the diploma that will certify him as Honorary Sportsman of the UPV.
Thus, his name will be added to the list of Honorary Sportsmen of the Universitat Politècnica de València. Its purpose is to publicly recognize the work of individuals, organizations, public institutions and private entities that have contributed in a notorious way to the promotion of sports and the humanistic merits involved.
Currently, and according to the year of concession, this list is formed by:
– 2006: Abel Antón
– 2007: Javier Gómez Noya
– 2008: Marc Coma
– 2009: Isabel Fernandez
– 2010: Juan Mata
– 2011: Víctor Claver
– 2012: Sugoi Uriarte
– 2013: Jesús Calleja
– 2014: David Casinos
– 2015: Amaya Valdemoro
– 2016: Laura Gómez
– 2017: Valencia Basket Club
– 2019: David Ferrer
– 2022: Hugo Guillamón
– 2023: Julia Miñana Delhom
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